Section of the Great Wall of China From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Simatai (Chinese: 司马台; pinyin: Sīmǎtái), a section of the Great Wall of China located in the north of Miyun District, 120 km northeast of the city center of Beijing, holds the access to Gubeikou, a strategic pass in the eastern part of the Great Wall. It was closed in June 2010 but has been reopened to tourists since 2014.
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The section was originally built during the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577) and rebuilt during the Hongwu Emperor's reign during the Ming dynasty.
Simatai Great Wall is 5.4 km long with 35 beacon towers. This section of the Great Wall incorporated the different characteristics of each section of the Great Wall. A specialist on the Great Wall, Professor Luo Zhewen, has said that "The Great Wall is the best of the Chinese buildings, and Simatai is the best of the Great Wall."[1] UNESCO has designated Simatai Great Wall as one of the World Cultural Heritage Sites as part of the Great Wall World Heritage Site.
Simatai Great Wall is separated by a valley into eastern and western parts. The western part is gently sloped with 20 well-preserved watchtowers dotting along the wall. The eastern part is much steeper, following more rugged terrain that includes cliff edges and kilometre-high peaks.
Hanging precariously onto the Yan Mountains, Simatai Great Wall is known for its steepness. Open-air gondolas provide a way to ascend partway up the wall. The 17 watchtowers are relatively closely spaced and have views of the surrounding area.
