Xi'an City Wall

The Xi'an city wall is the most complete of the surviving city fortifications of China: a rectangle some fourteen kilometres long with four main gates and corner towers. It was raised in the 1370s under the first Ming emperor over the remains of the Tang palace wall, and was built up several times afterwards. Its thickness at the base reaches eighteen metres, so a broad road runs along the top, where bicycles are hired out and a marathon is held. Outside, a moat and a belt of parkland with willows and flower beds gird the wall, while inside are the quarters of the old town. The south-eastern corner is marked by a restored corner tower, and in the evening the wall is lit along its whole circuit.

On the map