Recalling its glory, the Beijing Ming City Wall Relics Park whispers tales of a bygone era. This park is not just green space. It holds a significant piece of Beijing’s history the longest and best-preserved section of the Ming Dynasty city wall.
We are standing about 3 km from the city center. This park extends from Chongwenmen to Dongbianmen. Then, it stretches north toward Beijing Railway Station East Street.
Imagine this 1.5 km section of the Ming city wall. It is over 550 years old. The Southeast Corner Tower stands tall too. Green park space surrounds them to the south and east. The park covers 15.5 hectares. This includes 3.3 hectares of fortifications. It also features 12.2 hectares of green space.
The inner city wall dates back to 1419. For nearly 550 years, the Ming city walls stood strong. In the 1960s, most of the gates and walls were torn down. This was to make way for the Beijing Subway. However, this 1.5 km section was spared.
The city government decided to convert the wall remnants into a park in the late 1990s. Small businesses and homes were relocated. Construction began in November 2001. It finished in September 2003. During restoration, city residents donated Ming era bricks. About one-fifth of the 2 million bricks used are from that time.
Let’s focus on the Southeast Corner Tower. It was built from 1436 to 1439. The tower is 29 m tall. It boasts 144 archery windows. It is the largest corner tower still standing in China. This tower could house 200 soldiers. Ramps were available for soldiers and horses. During the Qing Dynasty, bannermen were stationed here. The Eight-Nation Alliance attacked and captured the tower during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. Westerners called it Fox Tower. Graffiti carved by the invaders remains inside.
Look at the inner city wall itself. It stood 11.4 m high. Battlements added another 1.9 m. The wall was 19.8 m thick at the foundation and 16 m at the top. Bastions protruded from the wall’s face. They are known locally as “horse face”. These bastions allowed archers to fire from three sides.
Notice the greenery around us. During the park’s restoration, 400 trees were planted. Additionally, there are 6000 bushes and 100000 flowering plants. In 2009, social organizations adopted about 600 old trees. They pledged to help with nourishment and insect control.
Also on these grounds is a restored signal house. It belonged to the Beijing-Fengtian Railway built in 1901. The Beijing Ming City Wall Relics Park is more than just a park. It’s a living museum connecting us to Beijing’s rich past.