The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the best-preserved and best-known Great Wall sections. Located 65 kilometers (40 miles) to the north of Beijing city proper, the Great Wall at Mutianyu has breath-taking scenery but fewer tourists, thus a good destination on hot holidays for a Great Wall tour at ease.
 

 Watchtowers are densely distributed along the Great Wall.

 Some of the watchtowers are seldom seen along other sections and are quite rare in the architectural history of the Great Wall. Examples are the Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower) comprised of three hollow watchtowers, and Big Corner Tower (No. 1 Watchtower), named so because only one big corner can be seen from the paths in three sides.

 The surrounding natural scenery is breath-taking. Woods cover over ninety-six percent of the total scenic area. Flowers bloom all over the mountains in spring. Grasses dress the hillside green in summer. Trees are laden with sweet fruit in autumn, and especially in October, leaves turn red or yellow, touching the mountain tops with gold. In winter, the wall is covered by snow, making it more magnificent.

 About 65 kilometers (40 miles) to the north of Beijing city center, it is easy to reach from downtown area by public transport.

 It has been renovated, making it easier and safer to climb. Moreover, it is equipped with a cableway and luge, possible for children and seniors to visit.

 It was first built in Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557). In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang, two famous patriotic generals, rebuilt it in order to strengthen its defensive potential when they guarded the strategic pass. It served as the northern protective screen, guarding the capital and imperial mausoleums for generations.

 It is mainly made of slabs of granite. It measures 7 - 8 meters (23 - 26 feet) in height, and 4 - 5 meters (4.4 - 5.5 yards) in width.

 Both sides of the Great Wall have parapets to defend against enemies. Some parapets are saw-tooth shaped instead of the regular rectangular form. Below the parapets, there are square embrasures, the top of which are designed in an arc structure, different from the traditional round embrasures.

 There are 23 watchtowers distributed at close intervals along the wall. They are located not only on the main wall but also at the distinctive "branch city". Branch cities are built on the hill ridge against the inner or outer side of the wall. For example, No. 11 Watchtower can be found on the branch wall.

 Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower) is 40 meters (44 yards) long, 30 meters (33 yards) wide, and 20 meters (66 feet) high. The gate is not designed in the middle, but is on the eastern side. The two-storey terrace is comprised of three hollow watchtowers, a large one in the middle and two smaller ones on two sides. It has many rooms to store grain and station troops.

 Big Corner Tower (No. 1 Watchtower) is connected with Mutianyu in the west, with Gubeikou in the east, and with a branch city wall in the south. The tower looks like a corner from each angle, so it is called Big Corner Tower.