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Guangwu City

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Introduction: The exact construction date of the ancient city’s walls is not recorded in historical texts. Based on supporting literature and studies of the existing architecture, the city was initially built during the Liao Dynasty, when the walls were rammed earth structures. In the seventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1374), the walls were bricked over, and maintenance and repairs were carried out during the Qing Dynasty. The existing walls, apart from their exterior features reflecting the Ming style, largely retain the layout and structure dating back to the Liao Dynasty. The ancient city wall is 1,652 meters in circumference, covering a total area of 16,296 square meters, and has a rectangular layout. The wall is 8.3 meters high, 5 meters wide at the base, and 3.4 meters wide at the top. Its exterior is entirely brick-clad with stone foundations. The top parapet is equipped with battlements, observation holes, and shooting loopholes. There are 16 barbicans (including those at the gates) along the walls, closely integrated with the main structure—majestic and sturdy, varying in size. The city has gates on the east, south, and west sides, but no gate on the north. Originally, the gates had gate towers, which were destroyed before the liberation and during the Cultural Revolution. The layout of streets and buildings within the city has largely retained its original form. The Old Guangwu Ancient City is an important physical resource for studying cities from the Liao, Jin, and Ming periods. It features a unique design with distinct character. In recent years, the Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Cultural Relics has allocated funds for dedicated protection and management, and carried out renovations on the city walls, the northwest corner barbican, and the southern wall barbican in 1984 and 1991, making the site even more magnificent.

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Guangwu City

Guangwu City is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Introduction:

The exact construction date of the ancient city’s walls is not recorded in historical texts. Based on supporting literature and studies of the existing architecture, the city was initially built during the Liao Dynasty, when the walls were rammed earth structures. In the seventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1374), the walls were bricked over, and maintenance and repairs were carried out during the Qing Dynasty. The existing walls, apart from their exterior features reflecting the Ming style, largely retain the layout and structure dating back to the Liao Dynasty. The ancient city wall is 1,652 meters in circumference, covering a total area of 16,296 square meters, and has a rectangular layout. The wall is 8.3 meters high, 5 meters wide at the base, and 3.4 meters wide at the top. Its exterior is entirely brick-clad with stone foundations. The top parapet is equipped with battlements, observation holes, and shooting loopholes. There are 16 barbicans (including those at the gates) along the walls, closely integrated with the main structure—majestic and sturdy, varying in size. The city has gates on the east, south, and west sides, but no gate on the north. Originally, the gates had gate towers, which were destroyed before the liberation and during the Cultural Revolution. The layout of streets and buildings within the city has largely retained its original form. The Old Guangwu Ancient City is an important physical resource for studying cities from the Liao, Jin, and Ming periods. It features a unique design with distinct character. In recent years, the Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Cultural Relics has allocated funds for dedicated protection and management, and carried out renovations on the city walls, the northwest corner barbican, and the southern wall barbican in 1984 and 1991, making the site even more magnificent.

Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province