Badaling Great Wall of Beijing, Badaling Great Wall Tour Guide

China Great Wall

Home / China Great Wall / Sections / Beijing / Badaling

Badaling Great Wall

Beijing Badaling Great Wall

Badaling Great Wall Photos

Badaling Great Wall Map

The Great Wall is a symbol of Chinese civilization, and one of the wonders that the Chinese people have created. Badaling Great Wall, the most representative part, was promoted as a key national cultural relic, protected under the approval of the State Council in 1961. In 1988, it was enlisted in the World Cultural Heritage Directory by UNESCO. On July 7, 2007, it gained the worldwide reputation once again: it was listed among the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Badaling Great Wall is situated in Yanqing County, over 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of Beijing. It is the most well-preserved section of the Great Wall, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). This section with an average altitude of over 1,000 meters (3,282 feet) is the outpost of the Juyongguan Pass. The mountain slope is very steep and the roads are tortuous. These features made it a military stronghold. Badaling Great Wall is like a strong dragon winding its way along the mountain ranges.

The Great wall originally functioned as a fortification. As early as the Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), Qinshihuang, the first emperor of Qin Dynasty unified the whole nation and began to build the Great Wall to protect China's borders from the intrusion of the northern nomadic tribes. Most parts of the preserved Badaling Great Wall were built and reinforced during the Ming Dynasty to defend the capital against the intrusion of these Mongolian people. The structure of the wall consists of huge bar-stones and bricks. The inside of the wall has been formed by tampering earth and small stones, which makes the wall very firm and strong. Internally, the wall is about six meters (20 feet) wide, which would allow horses to gallop five abreast. A number of small holes have been drilled on the wall to allow archers to shoot arrows. There is a barrel-drain and a moat both inside and outside the wall. In a word, military fortification has been paramount in the consideration of every wall detail.

Great Wall at Badaling

The signal fire platforms were an important part of the whole fortification of ancient China. A signal fire platform is actually a blockhouse that was built on the top of the wall. It was used to send warning signals. Since the Ming Dynasty, the amount of smoke and gunfire released conveyed specific military information about the enemy. One release of smoke with one shot of gunfire signified 100 enemies; two smoke releases with two shots of gunfire meant 500 enemies; three smoke releases with three shots of gunfire indicated more than 1,000 enemies. Once one signal platform fired a beacon, the others would follow likewise so as to alert the command as to the strength of the enemy.

As a landmark erected at the top of a group of mountain ranges, Badaling Great Wall has also witnessed many significant historic events.The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty toured there, Yuan Taizu, the first emperor of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) passed the Badaling Great Wall and took control over the whole of China.

Empress Cixi fled from there to the western part of China in 1900 when an alliance of eight western countries invaded Beijing. At present, Badaling Great Wall stands still there recording the hardship and bitterness that Chinese people have endured in the past 2,000 years. It is a priceless cultural heritage of humanity.

Badaling Great Wall was the earliest part of the great Wall opened to tourists. It has drawn tens of millions of tourists both from home and abroad. More than 370 foreign leaders and celebrities have visited there.

The handrail helps visitors go up and down.

Admission Fee:	CNY 45 (Apr. 1 to Oct.31); CNY 40 (Nov.1 to Mar.31)
Cable Car:	CNY 40 (single way); CNY 60 (round trip)
Opening Hours:	06:30-19:00 (In summer); 07:00-18:00 (In winter)

Badaling Great Wall Travel Review

Badaling Travel Tips:

Badaling Transportation

Badaling Dining & Accommodation

Badaling Great Wall Map

Memorable China Tours with Badaling Great Wall Travel:
Beijing Highlight Tour: 4 Days Trip to Forbidden City, Badaling Great Wall, Summer Palace...
Beijing & Guilin Tour: 7 Days Travel of Forbidden City, Badaling Great Wall of Beijing, Li River in Guilin...
Beijing, Xian, Shanghai Tour: 9 Days Luxury China Trip to Badaling, Terracotta Warriors Museum, the Bund...
Badaling Great Wall Hiking: detailed routes and tips for hiking Badaling.

Scenic Spots near Badaling:

Water Pass Great Wall (Shuiguan)

Juyongguan Pass

China Great Wall Museum

Ming Tombs

Q & A on Badaling Great Wall

Jan. 26,2010 01:54 Reply

Mr.Fauzi(Malaysia) said:

Hi i m fauzi from malaysia. I would like to know th weather forecast at first week of march 2010 ?

What preparation espacially cloth ?

Thank

Jan. 26,2010 04:40
Mr.Sandy replied:

Hi, Fauzi. The weather forecast is only available three days in advance. But Beijing is usually cold, dry and wind at that time. So you should wear a sweater and jacket and bring enough water when climb the wall.

Jan. 17,2010 22:52 Reply

Ms.Len(Phils) said:

How do we get to Badaling from Qingdao?

Jan. 18,2010 03:21
Ms.SLEEPYHAMSTER(China) replied:

Hi, first you should take a flight or train from Qingdao to Beijing. and take bus no.919 at Deshengmen Station and arrive at Badaling. The bus ticket costs 12 yuan.

Jan. 16,2010 01:59 Reply

Mrs.themerna(Indonesia) said:

the journey from badaling great wall to ming tomb by bus will take how much time?

Jan. 17,2010 02:00
Ms.May replied:

Over one hour. You can take the bus no.919 from Badaling Station and get off at Ming Huang La Xiang Gong Station (The Ming Dynasty Wax Museum), and take bus no.314 and get off at Dingling Tomb (one of the thirteen Ming Tombs).

Jan. 11,2010 04:02 Reply

Mr.GAWR0008(Afghanistan) said:

I enjoy backpacking, and hiking. I'm a little concerned about hiking during the winter. I will be in China for the last few weeks in January. China's weather is cold and they have gotten a lot of snow recently. Do you think it will be difficult to hike on the wall during the Winter? This is regarding both repaired and not repaired wall.

Jan. 11,2010 21:40
Mr.LIN replied:

Yes, it is cold and very windy on the wall, also the steps there become very slippery when it snows. But in the other hand, there are a fewer visitors. You can go to the repaired wall such as Badaling, Juyongguan and Mutianyu for there are railings to protect you. You'd better not go to the wild walls for safety concern.

Jan. 5,2010 23:11 Reply

Mr.Pete(USA) said:

I arrive into Beijing airport around 11:30 AM on Saturday 1/31. Would you be kind enough to assist with the following questions:
- I have been to Mutianyu before which was wonderful. My plan is to go to another site during this trip that is convenient to both the airport (PEK) and Downtown (I am staying at Wangfujing) as I will only have a half day to tour the Wall. Badaling seems nice but I was hoping for a less touristy option.
- How long would it take to get from your suggested Wall site from the airport and then how long back to Wangfujing?

Thanks very much :)

Jan. 6,2010 01:56
Ms.SLEEPYHAMSTER(China) replied:

Hi, besides Mutianyu and Badaling, Juyongguan is also a repaired wall which opens to visitors. But it is also very touristy. So I wonder do you like wall hiking? I mean to visit some wild sections such as Simatai and Jinshanling. Being not repaired, they are favored by many backpakers. There are fewer visitors.