The gate inscription
Rivers and mountains.
Wangyunfeng — CC BY-SA 3.0 · N509FZ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wangyunfeng — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wangyunfeng — CC BY-SA 3.0 · N509FZ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 黑夜有灯 — CC BY 3.0 · walzz — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Vikarna — CC BY-SA 4.0
A great gate in the Great Wall north of Zhangjiakou, built in 1644, the first year of the Shunzhi Emperor, the first Qing ruler in Beijing; it is one of the wall's most important crossing points. The gate stands 12 metres high, nine wide and 13 deep, with a terrace on top, and over its arch hangs a great inscription, «Magnificent Rivers and Mountains», put up in 1927. West of the gate about a hundred metres of brick-faced wall run on, then a well-preserved stone wall zigzags up the mountain behind it, and beside it stands the stone Laiyuan fort, protected together with the gate as a national monument. The gate square is free, the climb to the gate tower and the wall costs about CNY 13, and it is open about 8 am to 6 pm, with shorter wall hours in winter, per visitor guides.
Rivers and mountains.
Climbing the hill.
Beside the gate.
North of the old town, Zhangjiakou, Hebei
Zhangjiakou has a Hui Muslim community and many restaurants under the halal sign serving lamb and noodles, while other restaurants may serve pork, so ask before ordering.