National Parks of ChinaOverview
| Designation | AAAAA tourist attraction |
| Province | Gansu |
| 景区网址 | Jiayuguan Pass |
| Location | Gansu, western Jiayuguan city, in the west of the Hexi Corridor |
| Latitude, longitude | 39.80, 98.21 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Western fort of the Ming Great Wall, Gobi, Qilian snow peaks |
| Top sights | The fort, the Overhanging Great Wall, the First Beacon Tower |
| Themes | City walls, Historic buildings, Culture & history, Deserts |
About
Jiayuguan, in the west of Jiayuguan city in Gansu, is the fort at the western end of the Ming Great Wall, built in 1372 and known as the "Greatest Pass under Heaven". It stands at the narrowest point of the western Hexi Corridor, between the Qilian Mountains to the south and the Black Mountain to the north, little more than a dozen kilometres apart, on an old route of the Silk Road.
The fort consists of an inner city, barbican, outer enclosures, outer city and moat; the inner wall is about 640 m around and about 10 m high, with gate towers over the east and west gates. As part of the Great Wall, Jiayuguan was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.
Main sights
The fort: inner city, barbican, outer enclosures and outer city; the inner city has two gates, Guanghua (east) and Rouyuan (west), with gate towers, and from the walls you can see the snow peaks of the Qilian Mountains to the south and the Black Mountain to the north.
Overhanging Great Wall: north of the fort on the Black Mountain, a stretch of wall climbing a steep slope so that from afar it seems to hang on the hillside.
First Beacon Tower of the Great Wall: on a cliff above the Taolai River south of the fort, the westernmost watchtower of the Ming wall, above the river gorge.
Great Wall Museum: near the fort, on the building of the wall through the ages and the history of the Hexi Corridor.
Travel tips
Getting there: Jiayuguan has an airport and railway stations; high-speed trains on the Lanzhou–Xinjiang line stop at Jiayuguan South. The fort is on the west side of the city, an easy taxi or bus ride.
Time: half a day for the fort; add the Overhanging Wall and the First Beacon Tower for a full day. Often combined with Dunhuang and Zhangye.
Season: May to October is best; summer days are sunny with cool mornings and evenings, spring brings dust storms, and winter is cold.
Note: the Gobi sun is strong and the air dry; bring sun protection and water.
Map
© OpenStreetMap contributors · terrain © Copernicus · Map credits