Where is the Great Wall of China Located

Written by Sally Guo Updated Sep. 26, 2024

The Great Wall of China is located in northern China, covering a distance of approximately 21,000 kilometers (13,000 miles) across various provinces and landscapes including mountains, deserts, and grasslands. 

The most famous and well-preserved section of the Great Wall is located near Beijing.

The Great Wall of China Location Map
The Great Wall of China Location Map

Where Does the Great Wall of China Start and End?

The magnificent Great Wall spans across the north of China, extending from the western Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu to the eastern Hushan Mountain in Liaoning.

Start of the Great Wall: Hushan Section of the Great Wall

For a long time, Shanhaiguan was considered the starting point of the Great Wall in the east. It wasn't until the early 1990s that the Hushan Section of the Great Wall was discovered.

The Hushan Section of the Great Wall is a section of the Ming Great Wall located in Dandong of Liaoning in northeast China, adjacent to the China-North Korea border. The wall runs for about 1,200 meters over Hushan Mountain.

End of the Great Wall of China: Jiayuguan

Located west of Jiayuguan City in northwestern Gansu Province, Jiayuguan is considered the end of the Great Wall.  It was built in the early Ming Dynasty, mainly to defend against the invasion of the Mongolian ethnic group in the northwest border areas, and it was also an important gateway on the Silk Road. 

Where is the Great Wall in Beijing

If you're visiting Beijing, a trip to the Great Wall is an absolute must-see. With a variety of sections located throughout different regions, there are plenty of options to choose from.

In addition to popular modern renovated sections such as Badaling and Mutianyu, there are also several "wild" Great Wall sections waiting to be explored. 

Where is the Great Wall in Beijing
Where is the Great Wall in Beijing

Badaling Section of the Great Wall Location

The Badaling Great Wall is located in Yanqing District of Beijing, about a 1.5-hour drive from the city center. 

badaling great wall location
Badaling Great Wall location

Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall Location

The Mutianyu Great Wall is located in Huairou District of Beijing, about a 1.5-hour drive from the city center. 

mutianyu great wall location
Mutianyu Great Wall location

Jinshanling Section of the Great Wall Location

The Jinshanling Great Wall is located in Luanping County, Chengde City, Hebei Province, about a 2.5-hour drive from downtown Beijing. 

jinshanling great wall location
Jinshanling Great Wall location

Gubeikou Section of the Great Wall Location

The Gubeikou Great Wall is located in Gubeikou Town, Miyun District, in the northwestern suburb of Beijing, about a 2-hour drive from the city center. 

gubeikou great wall location
Gubeikou Great Wall location

Simatai Section of the Great Wall Location

The Simatai Great Wall is located in Miyun District, the Northwestern suburb of Beijing, about a 2-hour drive from the city center. 

simatai great wall location
Simatai Great Wall location

Where is the Great Wall Located in Different Dynasties

The Great Wall of China was constructed and expanded over several dynasties, beginning with the Warring States period and ending in the Ming Dynasty. Read on to explore the different locations of the Great Wall of China during each dynasty, giving insight into the historical significance of the wall and its construction over time.

Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 207 BC)

From Lintao County in Gansu Province in the west to Liaoning Province in the east.

the great wall in qin dynasty
The Great Wall in the Qin Dynasty

Han Dynasty (202 BC - 8 AD)

It stretches from Dunhuang in Gansu Province to the west, north to the south of Inner Mongolia, and east to the south of Pyongyang, North Korea, with a length of more than 10,000 kilometers.

the great wall in han dynasty
The Great Wall in the Han Dynasty

Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644)

From Jiayuguan Pass in the west to Hushan Great Wall in the east, the Great Wall ruins span 15 provinces and autonomous regions, including Jilin, Liaoning, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, and Gansu.

the great wall in ming dynasty
The Great Wall in the Ming Dynasty

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