Widow's Tower

　　At the westernmost end of the Taipingzhai section of the Great Wall within the Huangyaguan Great Wall scenic area stands a striking square stone tower known as the Widow's Tower. It was built during the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty and is the best-preserved among the 52 watchtowers of the Jixian section of the Great Wall.

　　The Widow's Tower is constructed of brick and stone, standing 13 meters high with two levels inside. The outer wall of the lower level is connected to the main wall of the Great Wall and features four large brick pillars that divide the space into four arched halls. Arrow slits on all sides allowed soldiers to defend and shoot from the windows. A brick staircase in the northwest corner leads up to the upper level. The upper level is surrounded by crenellations, with a small rectangular room in the center. The door of the room faces north, and there are windows on both sides. The room can accommodate more than ten people, serving as a space for soldiers to keep watch and rest.

　　The origin of the name "Widow's Tower" comes from a moving local legend: When General Qi Jiguang oversaw the construction of the Great Wall, he conscripted a unit of soldiers from Henan. Among them were the wives of twelve soldiers who, after years of not hearing from their husbands, decided to journey to the frontier to find them. After enduring great hardships, they finally arrived at the Jizhou section of the Great Wall, only to learn that their husbands had all perished while building the wall. Overcome with grief, they wept at their husbands’ graves. General Qi Jiguang, who was inspecting the wall, came upon the scene, learned of their story, dismounted, comforted the women, and provided each of them with a pension to support their children and care for their elders. That night, suppressing their sorrow, the women made a collective decision to honor their husbands’ legacy by contributing their pensions to the construction of the wall and staying to help build it. In the end, they helped build this defensive tower. To commemorate these twelve righteous and heroic women, the tower was named the "Widow's Tower."

　　During the restoration of the Great Wall, the Widow's Tower was prioritized for repair due to its special significance to local people. During the foundation excavation, artifacts such as women’s thimbles and hairpins were discovered.