Badaling Great Wall
The Badaling Great Wall is known as one of the "Nine Great Passes under Heaven" and is the essence of the scenery of the Ming Great Wall. It stretches across the northern entrance of the ancient Guantou Valley in the Jundu Mountain, Yanqing District, Beijing, serving as a solid barrier guarding the northwestern gateway of the capital city. With an altitude of about 1015 meters, it has a dangerous terrain with overlapping mountains and a strategic location. As the outpost of the Juyong Pass, it forms a strict military defense system with the Juyong Pass. During ancient wars, each watchtower and every section of the city wall here had crucial military significance. Soldiers were stationed here to keep watch for the enemy and resist foreign invasions. The city walls are tall and solid, with an average height of 7 - 8 meters and a width of about 4 - 5 meters on the top, allowing two horse-drawn carriages to pass side by side. There are crenels on the outside of the city wall for lookout and shooting, and a low parapet on the inside to provide safety for soldiers walking.
The Badaling Great Wall is divided into two parts: the South Great Wall and the North Great Wall, each with its own characteristics. The South Great Wall has 7 watchtowers and relatively fewer tourists, providing a quiet and peaceful touring experience. Walking along the South Great Wall, one can appreciate the architectural details of the Great Wall more meticulously and feel the historical charm carried by the ancient bricks and stones. The scenery here is picturesque, with mountains and the Great Wall complementing each other, and the watchtowers are scattered along the Great Wall in an orderly manner, as if telling stories of the past. The North Great Wall has 12 watchtowers and is relatively more difficult to climb. However, precisely because of this, it is more favored by tourists who like to challenge themselves. During the process of climbing the North Great Wall, tourists need to exert more physical strength, but when reaching the high places and overlooking the magnificent scene of the winding mountains and the Great Wall, the sense of accomplishment is indescribable. The slope of the North Great Wall is rather steep, and some places are almost vertical, posing a considerable test to the physical strength and endurance of tourists. But it is also precisely because of this that the scenery here is more spectacular, enabling tourists to deeply experience the majestic aura of the Great Wall.
International Influence and Visits by Celebrities
The Badaling Great Wall is a must-visit place when touring Beijing and enjoys an extremely high reputation internationally. More than 300 world-renowned figures such as Richard Nixon and Margaret Thatcher have climbed the Great Wall. When these international politicians and celebrities set foot on the Badaling Great Wall, they were all shocked by its magnificent and majestic appearance. The Great Wall, as a symbol of the indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation, has transcended the boundaries of time, space, and culture, allowing people from different countries and backgrounds to feel the greatness of ancient Chinese civilization. They left their footprints here and also spread the charm of the Badaling Great Wall to all corners of the world, attracting more international tourists to come and appreciate its elegance.
The Badaling Great Wall is a 5A-level scenic area and has been listed in the "World Heritage List" by UNESCO, which fully demonstrates its important position in the world's cultural heritage. As a world heritage site, the Badaling Great Wall carries rich historical and cultural connotations. It is the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancient Chinese working people. From the architectural craftsmanship to the military defense function, it shows an extremely high level. Its popularity is second only to that of Tiananmen Square. Whether domestic tourists or international travelers, they all regard the Badaling Great Wall as one of the iconic tourist attractions in Beijing. Every year, a large number of tourists come here attracted by its reputation. Here, they can not only appreciate the magnificent natural scenery but also gain a deeper understanding of ancient Chinese history and culture and feel the unique charm nurtured by the long history of the Chinese nation.
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