Jiayaguan Fort

The last fort at the western end of the great wall. This was the administrative and military headquarters protecting the border and caravans as well as collecting taxes. The first pic is the outer gate into what might have been called the "outer bailey" in a British castle. The second looks through the gate to the second gate. Notice that the ceiling steps up inside. The gate is at the juncture between the two. The third pic is the inner gate that is built like the outer and leads into a killing box with another gate into the "inner bailey." The fourth pic is the yard of the general's residence, with all the offices for the fort included. They have mannequins in a number of locations showing a sense of real life. The fifth pic shows a woman in the kitchen pretty accurately, even for today. Last is a view over the battlements out toward the horizon where the silk road went on.Read more