Name: Ming City Walls Ruins Park
Star Rating: 4A
Admission: Free
Opening Hours: 9:00-16:30
Phone: 010-65270574
Address: Dongbianmen, Dongdajie Street, Dongcheng District
Description
The Ming City Walls Ruins Park (明城墙遗址公园) is one of the best parks in Beijing. It is located 3 kilometers from the center of the city, between the southeast turret and Chongwen Gate (崇文门) in the west. It is a scenic spot of ancient architectural relic. It was open to the public in 2002. The Ming City Wall, first built over 580 years ago, in 1419, or the 17th year of Emperor Yongle (永乐)'s reign in the Ming Dynasty, used to run about 40 kilometers. The remaining relic, which is about 1.5 kilometers long, used to be part of the inner city wall of Beijing. It is the longest section of the city wall remains in the city, and an important symbol of Beijing.
Topped with saplings, trees and a healthy head of vegetation, the last surviving slice of the Ming Inner City Wall (originally 40km in length) runs along the length of the northern flank of Chongwenmen Dongdajie (东大街), attached to a slender and pleasant strip of park. Leveled in the 1950s to facilitate transport and compromise the legacies of earlier dynasties, the city wall is perhaps Beijing's most conspicuous chunk of lost heritage.
Featured Attractions
In 2003 the park underwent stage II landscaping, which added more variety to the plants. Over 300 arbors and shrubs, such as ginkgos, peaches, apricots, crape myrtles, golden rain trees, magnolias, and over 100,000 flowers (such as marigolds and morning glories) and perennial-root flowers (such as fleur-de-lis and day lilies) have been planted. As a result, a number of distinctive scenic spots, such as Century-old Carriage Track, Sea and Hills, Purple Jade, Mountain Apricot, and Pagoda Trees Protecting the City Wall.
Transportation:
Take bus No. 41, 43, 44, 59, 610, 713 or 820 to Dongbian Men stop
Subway: Subway line 2 or 5 to Chongwenmen station
Nearby Accommodation:Beijing Marriott Hotel(Ming City Wall branch); Beijing Jingxinlv Hotel
