Autumnal Beauty in the Suburbs of Beijing | The Simatai Great Wall. Beacon Fires and Gunpowder Illuminate the Great Wall.

The Simatai Great Wall is the only ancient architectural site in China that retains the original appearance of the Ming Dynasty, recognized by UNESCO as the "Primitive Great Wall". This historically significant Great Wall suffered artillery attacks during the Gubeikou Battle in 1933, rendering its broken walls and ruins even more ruggedly beautiful. The Simatai Great Wall is renowned for its "perilous, dense, peculiar, ingenious, and comprehensive" characteristics: 🔸Perilous: Constructed atop a mountain ridge as if chiseled by a knife and ax, it is breathtakingly dangerous. 🔸Dense: With 35 beacon towers, the closest ones are just tens of meters apart, and the farthest are no more than 300 meters apart, averaging only 140 meters in between. 🔸Peculiar: The steep and majestic mountain terrain, coupled with the shimmering waves of the Mandarin Duck Lake below, paints a picturesque landscape of mountain and water. 🔸Ingenious: The fortification walls, designed for both offense and defense, are strategically placed at every step. 🔸Comprehensive: The architectural styles of the watchtowers and beacon towers are diverse and unique. ⛰Travel Tips: Compared to Badaling and Juyongguan, the Simatai Great Wall attracts fewer tourists, making it a highly recommended destination for those seeking a sense of historical vicissitude. The ancient Gubei Water Town is located at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall, making it an ideal weekend getaway. A two-day, one-night trip would be perfect. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🚉Transportation Guide: 🚙Self-driving: We drove there ourselves. Simply set your GPS to Simatai Great Wall, and it's quite convenient. 🚌Bus: From the Drum Tower Station, cross the road to the bus stop and take bus number 51 to reach Gubei Water Town. 🚌Direct Bus from Dongzhimen: Dongzhimen ~ Gubei Water Town (Three trips per day) Departure from Dongzhimen: 9:00, 11:00, 13:00 Departure from Gubei Water Town: 12:00, 14:00, 17:00