Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall

Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall Facts

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• LOCATION : Huairou District, about 73 kilometers northeast of the city center of Beijing.
• TYPE : National 5A level tourist spot
• BEST SEASON TO VISIT : September and October in Autumn
• ADMISSION FEE : 60CNY
• OPENING HOURS : All year round, 7:30 am–5:30 pm
• THINGS TO DO : Sightseeing, hiking

Mutianyu (Chinese: 慕田峪; pinyin: Mùtiányù) is a section of the Great Wall of China located in Huairou District, about 73 kilometers (45 miles) north of central Beijing. It is one of the top 16 scenic spots in Beijing. The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is connected with Juyongguan Great Wall in the west and the Gubeikou Great wall in the east. The Mutianyu Great Wall used to serve as the northern barrier since ancient times, defending against the Huns outside the Great Wall in the north. During the Ming Dynasty, it was an important gateway for guarding the capital and the imperial mausoleums. It has a total length of 5,400 meters (3.4 miles), which is the longest section of the Great Wall. 2250 meters repaired part is opened for tourists. Three enemy watchtowers stand side by side at Zhengguantai, which is very rare. The famous Great Wall landscapes such as Jiankou, ox horn edge, eagle flying upside down, etc. are located at the western end of the Mutianyu Great Wall, which is the essence of the Great Wall.

Why Visit Mutianyu Great Wall?

In 2018, the World Traveler Magazine voted for the "Top Ten Most Beautiful Attractions in the World" by global tourists. China's Mutianyu Great Wall is the only Chinese scenic spot selected, ranking seventh. The Mutianyu Great Wall has become the "No. 1 Great Wall in China" today. It is also the most popular Great Wall of China by foreigners. U.S. President Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and other international dignitaries, when visiting China, all designated to come to the Mutianyu Great Wall.

Among the sections of the Great Wall in Beijing, it enjoys the reputation of "the most beautiful Great Wall". The Mutianyu section is less crowded and has more breathtaking scenery than the Badaling section. You can feel the peaceful moment and enjoyed the original great wall with the old history. So it's a good choice for foreign tourists, especially in the peak season of tourism.

History
Mutianyu Great Wall was first built in Northern Qi over 1,400 years ago. In the early of the Ming dynasty(1368-1644), the Mutianyu section was rebuilt under the supervision of General Xu Da on the foundation of Qi Wall. Mutianyu Pass was fortified in 1404 (the 2nd year of Emperor Yongle's reign) with a rare triangular formation of three interlinked watchtowers. In 1569(the third year of Emperor Longqing's reign), General Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang repaired the Great Wall on the foundation of Ming Wall. The Great Wall preserved and restored in Mutianyu is one of the best-preserved sections of the Ming Great Wall in the country. Till today, it still keeps the glory of ancient architecture.

When is the Best Time to Visit?

You can enjoy the different wonderful and magnificent scenery in the different months at Mutianyu Great Wall. There are green pine trees, cypress trees and a lot of flowers in bloom on the mountain in April, May and June, such as flowers of Peach, Apricot, and chestnut, etc. It’s a little bit hot during summer vacation in July and August. September and October in autumn is the best time to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall with the yellow, red, green leaves and sweet fruits dressing the mountains. In winter, Mutianyu Great Wall covered by snow looks like a beautiful lady with a white gown. If you happen to visit the Great Wall during Chinese holidays such as International Labour Day(May 1st to 3rd) and National Day(October 1st to 7th ), you would rather choose to go to Mutianyu than Badaling.

The Features of Mutianyu Great Wall

• Vegetation coverage is 96% of the total scenic area. It enjoys the reputation of "the most beautiful Great Wall" at home and abroad.
• The Mutianyu Pass consists of rare three interlinked watchtowers. There are two floors. The ground floor can be used for the food storage room, dining room, 200 soldiers' bedrooms, and general command room. On the second floor, there are two general stone beds in each room on both sides, which can be heated in winter. There is a staircase leading to the first floor in the middle. Looking at the inside and outside of the Great Wall from the pier, the view is extremely wide.
• The inner and outer branch wall coexist. The branch wall is the extended parts of the main Great Wall, according to the needs of war. The branch wall like No. 11 Watchtower is built on the inner or outer side of the wall on the mountain ridge. Solders can watch and shot to enemies from different directions on the watchtowers of the branch wall.
• 22 dense watchtowers were built along this 2,250-meter part of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.
• Two sides parapets mean fighting with the enemy on both sides, which shows the important strategic position of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in history.
• It is full of a stereoscopic feeling. The Great Wall is like a giant dragon going from the Mutianyu Pass(at an altitude of 486 meters) to the east up to the Big Corner Tower(at an altitude of 603 meters). That's to say, within 500 meters, the terrain lifts up 117 meters. And from Mutianyu Pass to the West, after only passing nearly 10 watchtowers, it rises 533 meters from the 486 meters at Mutianyu Pass to 1039 meters, which is spectacular.

How to Get to Mutianyu Great Wall?

Best Choice：MuBus

It's the most recommended bus direct bus line by tourists. It drives directly to Mutianyu Great Wall and you will have more sightseeing time as you don't have to line up for tickets and take the shuttle bus. Instead, you need to make an appointment on the official website www.beijingmubus.com in advance. Different ticket prices correspond to different services, Click here for details below,

Second Choice: Dongzhimen(东直门)Bus 916

The whole process may take about two hours as Bus 916 does go to the Mutianyu Great Wall directly and you need to change to Bus H23 on the way. First, get to Dongzhiman bus station by bus 24, 106, 107, 123, 132, 206 or subway line 2, 13 or the Airport Express Line; then take Bus 916(the bus comes every 20 mins) at Dongzhimen（东直门）and get off at Huairou North Street(怀柔北大街); finally, take Bus H23(the bus comes every 30 mins) to Mutianyu Great Wall.

Third Choice: Charter a Van

The advantage is that the time arrangement is flexible so you can go there at your preferred time. But the price is much higher. In peak tourist season, it may take about 800CNY per day.