Nanjing City Wall (Ming City Wall), Nanjing

See an ancient historical site built when the city was the capital of the Ming dynasty at Nanjing City Wall (Ming City Wall), a long, tall perimeter wall designed to protect the city from invaders. Started by Zhu Yuanzhang, first emperor of the Ming dynasty, in 1366 CE, the wall took 21 years to build, finally being completed in 1386 CE. Originally made up of 300 million bricks held together by lime, tong oil, and glutinous rice, and stretching out for 35 km (22 mi), the remaining sections span 25 km (16 mi). Six main sections remain open to the public, primarily centering around the large gates that dot the wall's expanse. Marvel at the work of the 200,000 laborers, building the monumental structure over 600 years ago. Put Nanjing City Wall (Ming City Wall) into our Nanjing trip builder website to see other points of interest to visit during your vacation in Nanjing.