Badaling Great Wall

Badaling Great Wall is the site of the most visited section of the Great Wall of China, approximately 50 miles (80 km) northwest of urban Beijing city in Yanqing County, which is within the Beijing municipality. It is the best preserved and the most magnificent. Badaling means "giving access to every direction". The name itself reminds us of its historical and strategic importance.The portion of the wall running through the site was built in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty, along with a military outpost reflecting the location's strategic importance. The highest point of Badaling is Beibalou, approximately 1,015 meters above sea level.

It is made of large blue bricks. The sides are covered in stone, the top in layers of brick. Inside the stone in brick is a mixture of soil and rubble, painstakingly tamped into place. The wall was made wide enough for five or six horses to be ridden abreast on its top. At regular intervals are window embrasures and castellated crenels. Beacon towers, originally for relaying military information, offer a respite from the weather. In peacetime, the Wall has proved useful as a highway, transporting people and supplies over large distances.

The portion of the wall at Badaling has undergone restoration, and in 1957 it was the first section of the wall to open to tourists. Now visited annually by millions, the immediate area has seen significant development, including hotels, restaurants, and a cable car. The recently completed Badaling Expressway connects Badaling with central Beijing. Line S2, Beijing Suburban Railway, served people who wanted to go to the Great Wall from Beijing North Railway Station. People can buy tickets at Beijing North Railway Station to Badaling Station. A bus also runs frequently from Deshengmen to Badaling.

It was here that President Richard Nixon and his wife, accompanied by Vice Premier Li Xiannian, visited on February 24, 1972, during his historic journey to China.

Badaling and the expressway were the site of the finishing circuit of the Urban Road Cycling Course in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Laps of the circuit passed through gates in the wall.

Set in a steep, forested mountain range, Badaling offers superb views and for those willing to travel beyond the restored sections, worthwhile hiking. The climb is so demanding, especially in the summer heat, that the crowds thin out after a few hundred meters (unless you take the cable car to the top, which some think spoils the experience). However, the guard towers are uniquely constructed so that the cool mountain breezes naturally air condition the interior. Weary travelers can literally "chill" in the guard towers before continuing along.
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