Great Wall Fort at Jiayuguan

26. The Surrounding Wall

The Jiayuguan Pass, known as the "Strategic pass Under the Heaven", is at the western end of the Great Wall. The Jiayuguan Pass was one of great strategic importance. The existing Jiayuguan Pass walls were built in the time of Ming Dynasty. The construction of these walls began in 1372. It was not until 1539 that they became a complete defense system, which had three defense lines, the entrenchment, the outer wall, and the inner wall.