The Nanjing Ming City Wall (南京明城墙) is a historical marvel and a testament to China’s rich architectural and military heritage. It holds the distinction of being the world’s longest, largest in scale, and best-preserved ancient city wall. Construction of this magnificent structure began in 1366 and was completed in 1393, spanning an impressive 28 years. The project involved the efforts of over 280,000 laborers from five provinces and 162 counties, using approximately 350 million bricks to create the intricate four-layered defensive layout.
The construction of the Ming City Wall in Nanjing marked a departure from the traditional square or rectangular designs commonly used in ancient city walls. Instead, it followed the natural topography of the surrounding landscape, incorporating mountains and waterways. The Qinhuai River to the south served as a natural moat, while the Zhongshan Mountain to the east, the Houhu Lake to the north, and the Shicheng City to the west all contributed to the wall’s unique defensive features. The primary city wall in Nanjing extends a staggering 35.3 kilometers, with 25.1 kilometers still intact, making it the largest city wall in China. Additionally, the outer city wall, encompassing over 60 kilometers, encloses an area of more than 230 square kilometers, standing as a historical marvel of global significance.
Table of Contents
- Basic Information
- Location and Transportation
- Highlights of Nanjing Ming City Wall
- Vlog about Nanjing City Wall
- Useful Tips Summarized from Reviews
- Attractions Near City Wall of Nanjing
Basic Information
| Website | https://www.njcitywall.com/ |
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 – 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | Most sections of the city are free, apart from the following ones: Shence Gate to Taiping Gate section: 30 RMB Dongshui Gate to Jiqing Gate section: 50 RMB Fugui Moutian to Lanqi Street section: 10 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 8.30 – 17.00 |
Location and Transportation
The City Wall itself encircles the historic core of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, forming a protective boundary around the city’s central area. It spans a distance of approximately 35 kilometers and encompasses significant landmarks and attractions. Because of its length and central location, you can basically get there in whatever ways you like.
Highlights of Nanjing Ming City Wall
City Gates
City gates are not only key transportation hubs connecting the inside and outside of the city but also serve as focal points in the defense and siege of ancient wars. The design and construction of the city gates in the Nanjing City Wall aimed to maximize their defensive capabilities while emphasizing architectural grandeur. Each city gate features two sets of doors: the outer “Qianjinzha (Gate of Thousands of Kilograms,” a formidable defensive mechanism lowered from the city wall, and the inner set, consisting of two large wooden doors reinforced with iron sheeting. Some of the famous city gates that still stand today include Zhonghua Gate, Xuanwu Gate, Zhongshan Gate, and Shence Gate.
Wengcheng (Parapet Gatehouses)
Wengcheng, or parapet gatehouses, are subsidiary structures attached to city gates in ancient cities. They evolved as a product of China’s prolonged warfare in the era of cold weapons and became a mature architectural feature in the defense of city gates. Unlike traditional wengcheng, which were typically located outside city gates, the wengcheng of Nanjing’s city gates were creatively placed inside the city. This departure from the conventional design allowed for the inclusion of hidden barracks, transforming what was traditionally a vulnerable area of defense into a fortified position during military operations.
Moats
The moats surrounding the Nanjing Ming City Wall are a vital component of its defensive system. The construction involved dredging and excavating waterways on the outside of the city wall to channel water. The water sources for the moats are drawn from the Qinhuai River, Qingxi, Jinchuan River, Xuanwu Lake, Yanque Lake, and Pipa Lake. These wide moats, juxtaposed against the towering and robust city wall, created an imposing deterrent for would-be invaders. The existing moat of the Palace City spans approximately 40 kilometers, with the widest distance between the city wall and the moat measuring 334 meters and the narrowest at just 9 meters.
Soldier’s Caves
Soldier’s Caves, or Cangbingdong, are concealed brick-vaulted chambers located within the city gates, serving dual purposes. During peacetime, they were used for storing city defense equipment and military supplies. In times of war, they provided shelter and resting places for soldiers. The inclusion of Soldier’s Caves within city gates was a unique innovation of the Nanjing City Wall, greatly enhancing its military defense capabilities. Key gates such as Tongji Gate, Zhonghua Gate, East Water Pass, and West Water Pass are equipped with intricate Soldier’s Caves. For instance, Zhonghua Gate features two layers with a total of 13 caves on the city wall’s upper part, and seven more on the lower part of both sides, totaling 27 caves. Each cave can accommodate more than 100 soldiers, allowing for the storage of over 3,000 soldiers in total.
Vlog about Nanjing City Wall
Useful Tips Summarized from Reviews
City Wall Segments: The Nanjing City Wall is divided into several segments, but most visitors opt to ascend the wall from the Zhonghuamen Castle (中华门城堡) and Jiefangmen (解放门). The choice is influenced by the better scenery at these locations, offering expansive views during sunset and throughout the day. Additionally, both places hold unique characteristics.
Significance of Locations: Zhonghuamen is a walled city (瓮城) with distinctive significance, while Jiefangmen is close to Jiming Temple, allowing visitors to climb the wall and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Xuanwu Lake and Jiming Temple.
Choosing the Entry Point: If you aim for convenience or wish to ascend the wall to view Jiming Temple and Xuanwu Lake, it’s recommended to use Jiefangmen. It is located north of Jiming Temple Road and is also referred to as “Tai Cheng” on the map. When purchasing tickets, choose the option for “Tai Cheng Scenic Area (Shence Gate – Taiping Gate section)”.
Central Zhonghuamen Area: Zhonghuamen is the essence of the city wall culture. You can take Metro Line 1 to Zhonghuamen Station. The wall here follows the pattern of a walled city (瓮城) with more detailed explanations. Adjacent to it is the Nanjing City Wall Museum (南京城墙博物馆). Even if you don’t climb the wall, you can make a free reservation to visit the museum, which is highly worthwhile. For ticket selection at Zhonghuamen Castle, choose “Dong Shuiguan – Ji Qingmen section”.
Yesterday afternoon, I strolled to the city wall at the Liberation Gate. Perhaps because it’s winter, the lights surprisingly turned on around four o’clock. The ancient city wall illuminated in the twilight, combined with the red lanterns, created a unique and festive atmosphere with a sense of historical weight. I even managed to capture a photo of the Zifeng Tower and the Jiming Temple in the same frame!
When the weather is nice, you definitely have to take a walk on the City Wall.
Recommended route:
Liberation Gate (解放门) – Xuanwu Gate (玄武门)
If you’re visiting Nanjing, you can first explore Jiming Temple, then walk up the City Wall from Liberation Gate, continuing all the way to Xuanwu Gate, and then head to Xuanwu Lake Park where you can go boating.
During the National Day holiday, I completed the entire 36-kilometer loop of the Nanjing Ming City Wall. My legs are about to break!
The northern section of the Ming City Wall has the most beautiful scenery, requires the least walking, and offers great opportunities to photograph the Jiming Temple and get a bird’s-eye view of Xuanwu Lake. It’s perfect for taking stunning photos!
This time, I climbed the Taicheng section of the Nanjing City Wall. This stretch offers the most beautiful scenery along the city wall route. On one side, you can enjoy the panoramic view of Xuanwu Lake (玄武湖), while on the other side, you can capture both the historic Jiming Temple (鸡鸣寺) and the modern Zifeng Tower (紫峰大厦) in one frame.
I highly recommend visiting during sunset. The crowds are fewer, the scenery is beautiful, and the temperature is pleasantly cool.
Arrived at the scenic area at 5 o’clock, only to be told that it was already closed. Reluctantly decided to stroll around the foot of the city wall. Surprisingly, there were quite a few people walking under the city wall. Looking up at the Ming Dynasty city wall from below seemed to evoke even more historical charm.
In my opinion, along the northern route of the Ming City Wall in Nanjing, the scenery is the most beautiful and requires less effort. On one side of the route, you can enjoy the natural beauty of Xuanwu Lake and Purple Mountain; on the other side, you can see the modern skyscrapers of Nanjing like Zifeng Tower, creating a striking contrast and offering spectacular views. Additionally, from Taicheng towards Linhu Hall, you can capture the classic scene of Zifeng Tower and Jiming Temple “side by side”. You can choose to start climbing the wall from Shen Ce Men and walk south for the entire section, or start from Xuanwu Men or Taicheng, tour the southern part first and then walk north, and descend at Xuanwu Men or further north. Whichever option you choose, you have the freedom to explore at your own pace.
Nanjing City Wall East Line Scenic Area: Fugui Mountain-Nanqi Street Section.
Avoid it if you can!
We entered the city wall from Biaoying Gate. We thought we could walk all the way to Fugui Mountain, but we were stopped at Zhongshan Gate, as it is a military restricted area ahead!
When visiting the Nanjing Ming City Wall, you can also explore the old Jiming Temple (古鸡鸣寺). Start by visiting the Jiming Temple first, then exit from the North Gate to see the city wall. You will find the ticket office after passing through the gate. This section of the city wall divides the city from Xuanwu Lake Park. On the left is the city, and on the right are several interconnected water bodies of Xuanwu Lake, reminiscent of Beijing’s Beihai, Zhonghai, and Nanhai. Upon climbing the city wall, there is a small exhibition hall with videos introducing the scale and history of the Nanjing Ming City Wall, as well as the craftsmanship of making bricks. Historically, city walls are military structures, so you can see various cannons of different ages and uses displayed on top of the wall. These include naval cannons used on ships, bamboo-shaped cannons, and elaborately decorated… Read more »
The city wall of Nanjing is divided into the East Line, West Line, South Line, and North Line, with the West Line being free of charge. – South Line: Dongshuiguan – Zhonghuamen – Jiqingmen (ticket 50 yuan). This section has good road conditions, and on the right side from Wudingmen to Zhonghuamen, you can see Laomendong. – West Line: Shitoushan – Dinghuaimen – Yijiangmen – Yifengmen – Xinminmen (Yuejianglou Shizishan). This section is free of charge, with average road conditions, but fewer crowds, making it more natural and charming. – North Line: Shencemen – Xuanwumen – Jiefangmen – Taipingmen (ticket 30 yuan). This section offers views of Xuanwu Lake and Jiming Temple. The road conditions from Shencemen to Jiefangmen are poor, while from Jiefangmen to Taipingmen have been recently repaired, resulting in better road conditions. – East Line: Fuguishan (can only return on the same path), Zhongshanmen – Lanqijie (ticket… Read more »