These photos of the Great Wall in a remote part of Shanxi Province were taken on a Sunday morning stroll in the hills near Liminbu.  

The Wall in this part of China was built 2000 years ago in the Qin Dynasty and pre-dates the well known Ming Dynasty Beijing section by some 1500 years.  Away from the tourist areas, the wall is gradually returning to the dust from which it was made. 

A village and the remnants of a fort nestle in the valley behind the protection of the crumbling remains of the Wall (to the right of the picture). 

The wall in this region is constructed from compacted loess soil, faced with limestone blocks.  The crest of the wall was originally wide enough to allow passage of soldiers and horses. 

The limestone facing remains in remarkably good condition in some sections. 

At the crest of a hill, a broken arch marks the entrance to an ancient fort.

The wall continues into the misty distance below the hill fort.  Watch towers are located about every 200m along its length. 

The Elmers in China Photo Gallery produced by Richard Elmer.   If you have any comments or want to use any photos, drop me a line!  Revised: 16 Jul 2007 09:42:22 +0100.