Ming Relic Wall

The relic wall and watchtower on the southeast corner of Chongwen Gate is part of the today’s only existing city wall segment. The section of the wall is 1.5 kilometers long and it was part of the old Peking Beijing city wall.  Historically the Ming city wall was entirely 40 kilometers in length and its construction began in 1419 (year 17 of the Ming Dynasty).

The southeast watchtower is the only one left in China and it is the biggest one of its kind.  It stands silently next to the Dongbianmen Gate overpass, overlooking the ongoing traffic and quietly witnessing the pulse of the city throughout history.