As the longest, largest and best-preserved ancient city wall around the world, Ming City Wall in Nanjing is now intact for 25.1 kilometers. It may take two days to walk and view the entire Ming City Wall. The most representative northeast section of the route is “Hepingmen (formerly Shencemen) – Xuanwumen – Taicheng -Jiuhua Mountain – Taipingmen”. By taking this route on the City Wall, visitors can have a bird’s eye view of Nanjing’s most representative attractions and urban landscape, which can be called as “a full view of Nanjing”. While the route on the walkway under the City Wall makes you feel cool and refreshing in hot summer since the roads are covered under the lush trees.
Shencemen, which is located inside the Shencemen Park, is not far away from the north gate of Xuanwu Lake. Walking forward, there is Xuanwumen and Taicheng. Standing on the Taicheng section of the City Wall, visitors will have the can’t-miss view of fabulous Xuanwu Lake.
Standing on the old City Wall, the quiet Jiming Temple and the four towers, the large Youth Olympic logo of five rings, and the tallest building in Nanjing — Zifeng Tower, all fall in the wide view while the past and present of Nanjing also blend with each other here.
There is also a quaint “Taicheng Study Room” in the Taicheng section of City Wall, the entrance of which is on the wall. You can enjoy a wonderful and leisurely time sitting here while having a cup of tea, reading books, listening to the Guqin, or learning calligraphy.
Further on, there is Jiuhua Mountain. This mountain, which used to be an imperial garden of the Six Dynasties, is now filled with an air of loneliness. However, Xuanzang Temple and Sanzang Pagoda still remained, and the Venerable Xuanzang’s parietal bone relic is enshrined under the lotus seat in the pagoda.
