The Badaling Great Wall is renowned as one of the Nine Strategic Passes under heaven, combining majestic cliffs with picturesque greenery to form the most spectacular section of the Ming Dynasty fortifications. Living up to the Chinese saying "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true hero," this remains the premier choice for most Chinese visitors to experience the Wall.
The fortress gate exhibits a trapezoidal shape, narrower on the east and wider on the west, featuring two gate towers. The eastern arch bears the inscription "Juyong Waizhen" (Frontier Town of Juyong), while the western gate displays "Beimen Suoyue" (Key to the Northern Gate). North of the fortress stretches the 12-tower Northern Wall section, while to the south lies the less crowded Southern Wall with 7 watchtowers. If time permits, we recommend exploring the Southern Wall first before tackling the more popular Northern section.