Jiayuguan Pass

Chinese name: 嘉峪关关城（Jia Yu Guan Guan Cheng）
Location: about 5km west of Jiayuguan, Gansu Province.
Ticket: Entrance ticket CNY110.00 include Overhanging Great Wall and the First Fire Tower of Great Wall.
Estimated tour time:2-3 hours
Recommended time to visit: May to Oct
Nearby attractions: Overhanging Greatwall, The First Fire Tower of Great Wall, Wei-Jin Tombs, The First Strategic Post, etc.

Jiayuguan pass is located at the narrowest point of the western section of the Hexi Corridor, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of the city of Jiayuguan in Gansu. The structure lies between two hills, one of which is called Jiayuguan Pass. It was built near an oasis that was then on the extreme western edge of China.

Among the passes on the Great Wall, Jiayuguan is the most intact surviving ancient military building. The pass is also known by the name the "First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven" , which is not to be confused with the "First Pass Under Heaven", a name for Shanhaiguan at the east end of the Great Wall near Qinhuangdao, Hebei.

It was an important link in the ancient Silk Road and represented the beginning of the western end of the Great Wall in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It integrates Silk Road and Great Wall cultures and is well-known for its impregnable geographic conditions.

It was a famous waypoint along the Silk Road and an obvious stop if you are traveling the historical route.

The Fortress is surrounded by an inner and outer wall, the inner city has a layout of trapezoid with a wall which is 11 meters high and 640 meters long. It was used as the third bulwark against enemies. Two meristic gates, Rou Yuan Men and Guang Hua Men, were built in the western and eastern side. Towers for guarding and command were built on the walls. The central area of the inner city locates the office of the commander and a Guanyu Memorial Temple. There are bridleways for carrying horses to the city wall.

The outer city played as the second bulwark against enemies. Unlike the inner wall which was built by loess, the outer city has the strongest wall which was built by bricks and connected to Great Wall.