Sadly, only fragments remain of Chóngqìng’s once magnificent Ming dynasty city wall, which stretched 8km around the Jiěfàngbēi peninsula and was more than 30m tall in places. Of the 17 gates that punctuated the wall before demolition began in 1927, two are still standing. The charming, moss-hewn Dōngshuǐ Mén is on a pathway beside the Yangtze River Hostel. Larger, and partly restored is Tōngyuán Mén , a short walk from Qīxīnggǎng metro station.
You can walk along the wall for a short stretch at both locations. If you’re interested in seeing how the wall once encircled the old city, look for the carved map of ancient Chóngqìng on the public square at Cháotiānmén , itself once a city gate.
