The Ancient City Wal located in the downtown area of Xi'an City. The Ancient City Wall built in the 14th century Ming Dynasty, under the regime of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang is the landmark of Xi'an. It stretches around the old city and divides the city into the inner part and the outer part. The city wall is massive that it stands 12 meters high,15-18 meters thick at the bottom, and 13.7 kilometers in length.
The Ancient City Wall of Xi'an is a firm and integrated military defense system which was composed by city moat, various observation towers, drawbridge, turrets, battlements, parapets, and crenels. As the only way to the town, the gates of the city wall were important strategic points. After a series of alteration and finalized, the current layout of the gates mainly involves the Changle Gate (East Gate), the Yongning Gate (South Gate), the Anding Gate (West Gate) and the Anyuan Gate (North Gate) being the four main city gates.
North Gate
The North Gate, also known as Anyuan Gate, was completed in Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, the gate tower of this gate was burnt down in the Revolution of 1911. The Gate we see presently was constructed in 1983.
South Gate
Built on 582 AD in Shui Dynasty, the South Gate is the most ancient gate, the South Gate. Its name changed as the regime changed. South Gate is one of the three southern gates which is closed to the east. And it was originally named after Anshang Gate and designated to be the main south gate at the end of Tang Dynasty an finally got the current "Yongning Gate" in Ming Dynasty. Its original condition is well reserved compared to ant other the old city gate.
West Gate
The West Gate also called Anding Gate once was the central gate on the west side of the City wall in Tang Dynasty. Later, it was moved southward when the city wall was expanded in Ming Dynasty and entitled Anding Gate.
East Gate
The East Gate refers to the Changle Gate which was built at the same age and encountered from the same adversity as the North Gate at the middle of the 17th century. Afterwards, it was rebuilt in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The East Gate once was used to organize the training units and corps by General Zhang Xueliang before the occurrence of the Xi'an Incident occurred in 1936. Today it was repaired to be a memorial site of Xi'an Incident.
Except for the four Gate, there are also some well-known gates including the Zhuque Gate and Zhongshan Gate. The Zhuque Gate is located at the foot of the most prosperous Zhuque Street where emperors of Sui and Tang used to hold important national ceremonies. Its site has disappeared for a long time until the repair work of the Xi'an Ancient City Wall was undertaken in 1985. This royal gate can remind you of the prosperous of Tang Dynasty. The Zhongshan Gate was opened up at the beginning of 1927 to memorize the founder father of China, Sunzhongshan.
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