The gate that made history
The Almost Missed Section of the Wall
Published: 25.09.2026
Attraction
Jiaoshan Naturpark
Jiaoshan, China
Attraction
Chinesische Mauer
Jiaoshan, China
In the Jiaoshan Nature Park, the Great Wall of China first climbs the mountain from its easternmost point coming from the sea. We approach the mountain range from the south with the transport service and see the wall winding up the mountain so impressively that I don't want to tackle the height difference on foot.
At the foot of the mountain, numerous flower arrangements are set up in a park area, which must serve as beautiful photo motifs.
In a flower heart tunnel, it goes without saying that my wife has to be in the picture.
A colorful flower-decorated bridge is transformed into a mystical setting with a spray mist of water.
Two large flower dragons are perfectly placed against the backdrop of the Great Wall of China.
We decided on the chairlift due to the steep terrain and glide parallel to the wall over the forest and the small valleys up the mountain.
Upon arriving at the top, I make a consequential and frustrating mistake. Instead of following the path I had already planned, I succumb to the boldness of wanting to visit the wall section up in the mountains and go straight up the path. The ascent is a beautiful forest path, but unfortunately, it does not lead us to our goal.
Because at the top, a temple awaits us.
A decommissioned cable car station has been brightly painted and is now used as a café.
The mountain scenery is beautiful to behold.
And it is also showcased beautifully.
A mountain lake, on the other hand, hides in backlight behind hazy air. But far and wide, there is no sight of the Great Wall. Only later do I realize my mistake. I should have taken the path at a 180-degree turn when exiting the mountain station of the chairlift. Because there is an orientation map that clearly shows our path leads away from the wall. This realization is no help to me now after the time-consuming ascent. Unfortunately, too much time has already passed, and the chairlift's operating hours are dangerously approaching their end.
I decide on an almost reckless action. My wife and her son can start their leisurely descent, while I nimbly jump down over rocks and stones like a chamois. I pass the lift station along the correct path and after a while, I also find the access to the Great Wall and climb on the structure.
The view is overwhelming. The watchtower adds the right seasoning to the view.
It almost looks as if the wall is breaking off and has fallen down the mountain behind.
Also towards the mountains, the wall shows its photogenic potential.
I see very nicely up here how the unrestored part of the wall looks, striving towards the next peak.
The beautiful photos I send to my wife now motivate her for a catch-up race. While I wait for her, a young man approaches me, and we chat as best as I can with my Chinese language skills. Especially his pronunciation is hard for me to understand. He probably thinks the same of my pronunciation. He asks me if I know the wall near Beijing, and I explain to him that I first stood on the wall exactly ten years ago. However, he does not understand my pronunciation of the place Mutianyu, and I have to show him on the map.
Now my wife arrives as well; my photos have probably given her wings. So, we also get our wall photo together.
However, we say goodbye to the above watchtower quite soon because we want to get a seat in the chairlift back to the valley in time. While we would have walked a bit more along the wall without my path mistake, we still managed to take home some beautiful impressions.
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