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| Archery tower on top of one of the ramparts |
I hadn't intended to walk the city walls on this day, but after walking a bit along a park-like path alongside and looking up at the massive structure, I couldn't stay away. Its 40-foot (12 meters) high brick walls with protruding ramparts beckoned me.
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| Yongning - South Gate |
I walked up the promenade leading to the South Gate, known as Nongning, meaning Eternal Peace. This was extremely close to the subway stop where I exited. Being one of the major tourist sites in the city, signs in English were present. I paid for the entrance ticket by having the QR code on my WeChat app scanned – much easier than using cash.
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| A wide and lengthy walk |
Once on top of the walls, the width and legnth of the wall impressed me. It is between 40-46 feet in width. From my view at the South Gate, I couldn't even see to either corner. To make the trip around the 8.5 miles (13.7 km) wall more manageable, many people opt to rent a bike. Tandem bikes were quite popular. Riding at about medium speed, the whole circumnavigation would take between 1.5-2 hours. For those in a hurry, battery car can take smaller groups around. Others like me chose to walk.
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| West Gate (Anding) |
Built by the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Xi'an City Wall was actually an enlargement of an original city wall made from rammed earth. The current structure is the largest and best-preserved city wall in China and one of the largest ancient military defensive systems worldwide. Around every 394 feet (120 meters), a rampart protruded from the wall. On top of each rampart was an archery sentry building. From here, soldiers could shoot arrows while being protected. The distance between each rampart was just within the range an arrow could be shot. Along the outer part of the wall were crenellations from where arrows could also be safely shot. The wall has a total of 5,948 of these battlements. Each gate had three gate towers. The outer one was used to raise and lower the suspension bridge. One opposite to it was used as a defensive outpost. An inner one was used as the main entrance to the city. Occasionally along the inner side of the wall, one could see very steep ramps that were once used for horses, but these were now blocked off.
When I reached the West Gate (Anging) which means Harmony Peace, I had the option of descending. Seeing how clear the skies were and how pleasant the temperature was, I decided to push on.
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| Old and new structures side-by-side |
Because I walked, I had plenty of opportunities to read the signs that were nicely posted in Mandarin and English. I also was able to take plenty of photos from different views. Looking beyond the walls, one could see large contrasts in architecture, from run-down old structures to modern skyscrapers.
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| Wedding photos |
A few bride and grooms took advantage of the beautiful weather and had some photos taken on this famous landmark. What a challenge the photographer must have had with the many bicyclists and pedestrians vying for the same space.
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| Northwest Watchtower |
By the time I reached the northwest watchtower, the sun was already starting to get lower. I especially liked the roof of this building. Wanting to catch a taxi before it got dark, I pressed onward.
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| Bell from 1428 |
In the half of the wall that I walked, I saw a few bells. This bell near the Anding gate was from 1428 and was 5.6 feet (1.7 meters) high. Its rich tone once alerted people of the city.
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North Gate at sunset
Just as I reached the North Gate (Anyuan), meaning Forever Harmony, the sun began to set. The flagposts, lamps, bell, and gate tower were now silhouetted against the warm glow of the sunset. It was a beautiful first trip to the Old City. With the address of my apartment written in Mandarin, a taxi driver successfully took me back to the concrete jungle of highrise apartments where I live about 25 minutes away. It was a good first adventure out.
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