Outer Defensive Layer locations, Inner Defensive Layer locations and supporting Fortresses are included in this List where possible ! Some locations may have disappeared or remain unfindable on Google Earth Maps.
The Great Wall of China was built in different historical periods. The exact length of the Great Wall of China as was constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD) was determined to be 8,851.8 km in December 2008, as announced by a national survey team.
Zhangjiakou
Lop Nor
(Salt lake)
Yu Men Pass
A Schematic Map of the Several Layers of the Great Wall of China defenses as they existed during the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD) in Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Hebei Provinces. Map includes location of + link to Great Wall Passes as reported on by ChinaReport.com. Mouse over & Click Links for more Information and Photos.
According to some sources and source maps (Lonely Planet, 8th Edition (2002), Lonely Planet Publications Pty Sydney, Australia) an outer defensive layer of the Great Wall of China extends through Hebei Province above Zhangjiakou and just South of Kangbao Town, to continue through Inner-Mongolia Autonomous Region and ends somewhere at quite a distance North-East of Hohhot in the Gobi Desert. The exact location and pathway of this Great Wall of China layer in Inner Mongolia is under research by China Report Staff (March 2009 AD). So far it is established that the eastern most section of this length of Great Wall starts somewhere near or at the Shandian River in Inner Mongolia AR, which lies just across the Northern-Central Border of Hebei Province. From there it passes around and south of Baochang Town. Due South-East of lies Paotai Yingzi, at the foothills of the Damagun Shan Mountain and the location of another visible and visitable Great Wall location (China Report is trying to confirm the existence of this location + coordinates via Google Maps and other sources).
Next it continues westward to cross the Hebei Province Border and pass underneath Kangbao Town in Hebei Province. From Here the Great Wall winds away to cross back into Inner-Mongolian Territory staying well North of Shangdu and Dailu Hao towns (See Most Detailed Map - Hebei Province Map 1 Schematic).
As recently as 1998 AD archaeologists working in Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region found a wall that ran from Yumen Pass (Jade Gate) near Dunhuang in Gansu to the northern edge of Lop Nur, skirting one of the trajectories of the Silk Road. As with other sections of the Great Wall in the far west including the Yumen Wall remnants, these were earthen ramparts made of rammed yellow sandy soil and jarrah branches. There is little or no doubt that this is part of the Great Wall - most likely dating to the Han Dynasty Era (206 BC - 220 AD), as it comprises a complete defensive network encompassing the flowbed of the Shule River with within the Oasis that served as the water sources for Han Chinese Military encampments which are known to have existed at this early time in this particular sector. This new discovery was dubbed Han Changcheng (Han Dynasty Great Wall) and it extended the length of the Great Wall by 500 km, to bring the wall to a length of 7,200 kilometers.
Apart from the Eastern Section and Outer Layer in Liaoning Province, a Seperate but linked Great Wall of China - the main body of the Wall - starts in Hebei Province at Qinhuangdao, to wind its way westward from there. The initial part of the Great Wall at the Bohai Sea is Laolongtou, the Old Dragon′s Head.
According to the latest Report in December 2009 AD, previously unknown sections of the Great Wall of China have been unearthed and discovered in Tonghua County of South-Eastern Jilin Province - near the Yalu River. So far 11 possible sections of ruins of the Great Wall dating to the Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 207 BC) and Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) Era's were identified in Jilin Province, with four of them confirmed (so far).
China Report - Map of the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty
Satellite image of China and North-East Asia, with super-imposed schematic Map of the location and Path of the Great Wall as constructed during the Reign of the Ming Dynasty. Included for reference are City names, geographical features of landscape, Names and locations of Passes on the Great Wall of China.
Updated with additional Google powered GPS Map of Great Wall locations !
AT THIS POINT THE GREAT WALL ENTERS INTO BEIJING CITY PROVINCE AS JIANJUNGUAN WALL IN PINGGU COUNTY - CLICK THROUGH >>
After passing through Beijing City Province and Badaling, the Great Wall re-enters Hebei Province at ... after which its heads towards the city of Zhangjiakou a.k.a. "Kalgan" (Mongolian for Heaven's Gate).
AT THIS POINT THE GREAT WALL ENTERS LEAVES BEIJING CITY PROVINCE. It Continues in West Hebei Province as the Jiming Gou Great Wall of Zhangjiakou Prefecture - SCROLL DOWN >>
After passing through Beijing City Province the Great Wall re-enters Hebei Province at Jiminggou after which its heads towards the City of Zhangjiakou a.k.a. "Kalgan" (Mongolian for Heaven's Gate).
Apart from the main visible path traced in this list (and visible on our Satellite Image Map) another defensive ring, the outer layer of the Great Wall exists to the North. As an expression of this multi-layered defensive approach another site can be found someways to the North, within Chengde Prefecture. A section of this wall can be seen when passing by train from Beijing Western Railway station to Chengde, in the past known as Jehol, home of the Imperial Fleeing the Heat Mountain Villa (a Huge "Summer Palace", and the secondary headquarters of the Qing Dynasty (1644 AD - 1911 AD) Family.
