History · Ming dynasty, 1368–1644
The Great Wall
Shanhaiguan to Jiayuguan
From the First Pass Under Heaven on the Bohai Sea to the last fortress at the edge of the desert.
0%
0 mi of 5,500 mi
Chronicler
Still at Shanhaiguan
The road to Huangyaguan is 280 miles. The First Pass Under Heaven. Where the wall meets the sea.
The road
Shanhaiguan
0 mi
The First Pass Under Heaven. Where the wall meets the sea.
Huangyaguan
280 mi
The Yellow Cliff Pass. Mountains begin to carry the wall.
Mutianyu
480 mi
A restored stretch in the Beijing hills. Watchtowers like a spine.
Badaling
520 mi
The most walked miles on earth. The capital's shield.
Dajingmen
720 mi
Zhangjiakou. The gate that opened Inner Mongolia to trade.
Yanmenguan
1,100 mi
Wild Goose Pass. One of the Three Outer Passes of the Great Wall.
Pianguan
1,400 mi
The western of Shanxi's great gates. The loess country hardens.
Zhenbeitai
2,000 mi
Yulin. The largest watchtower remaining, over the Ordos.
Sanguankou
2,800 mi
Ningxia. Three passes in the Helan rain-shadow.
Zhongwei
3,400 mi
The Yellow River again. The wall and the river trade places as frontier.
Wuwei
4,000 mi
The Hexi Corridor. The wall is now a chain of forts in the wind.
Zhangye
4,500 mi
A garrison city on the old silk road, walled against the same horizon.
Jiayuguan
5,500 mi
The Last Pass Under Heaven. Beyond it, the desert, and no more wall.
Ming wall length from the 2009 survey, 5,500 miles