|
The preserved city walls of Xl'an were built in 1374 A.D. on the basis of t he city of Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty. It is 12 meters tall, 12-14 meters thick at the top, 15-18 meters wide at the bottom, and is surrounded completely by a moat. The wall itself is in the shape of a rectangle and covers 14 kilometers, stopping only for the subway station.
There are four gates allowing passage through the wall. Changle is the gate or eternal joy. Anding is the gate of harmony peace. Yongning is the gate of eternal peace. The last gate, Anyuan, is the gate of forever harmony. Most of the Chinese people in Xian refer to these as the North, South, East, and West gates. In the center of the rectangle is the citys Bell Tower. The gate prevented the capture of the city of Xian and has stood strong for many years. They are one of China's most historically - known city wall buildings remaining from the later stage of the Middle Ages.
|
