Ming Ancient City Wall

Ming Ancient City Wall

The Ming Ancient City Wall is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Guide

The southernmost gate of the Imperial Capital—Zhonghua Gate, formerly known as Jubao Gate—is the largest gate on the Nanjing city wall and the biggest fortress in China.

The barbican project is grand in scale and complex in structure. The wall is divided into two levels, with four gate layers, and features 27 troop-hiding caves capable of holding 3,000 soldiers. It is the largest barbican in China and now houses a historical exhibition of the barbican.

The Nanjing city wall is 33.5 kilometers long, over 12 meters high, and 7.62 to 12.19 meters thick.

The wall is built on a granite foundation with huge bricks forming the body. Each brick bears the name of the producing county’s official office and the date, all uniformly sized. When constructed, a mixture of lime, tung oil, and glutinous rice juice was used as mortar, making it extremely solid. It has stood for hundreds of years without damage.

There are 2,000 battlements and 24 gates on the wall. Those well-preserved include Zhonghua Gate in the south, Yijiang Gate in the northwest, Xuanwu Gate in the northeast, and Zhongshan Gate in the east.

Transportation Take Tourist Bus 2, Tourist Bus 4, Bus 2, 16, 26, 33, 49, 88, 101, 102, 105, 106, or 305 to Zhonghua Gate Station. From Lukou Airport, you can take the airport shuttle bus to Zhonghua Gate Long-Distance Bus Station, or take Metro Line 1 to Zhonghua Gate Station.

Tickets / Opening Hours

Zhonghua Gate: 20 RMB. Free entry for seniors in Nanjing with a senior ID. Groups of 20 or more enjoy a 20% discount. Nanjing Garden Annual Pass is accepted. 8:00–21:00

Attraction Location

Jiuhua Mountain Park, Huanchi Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing (East Gate)