Jiayu Mountain is located in Gansu's north, close to Inner Mongolia and Qinghai province. At the foot of the Jiayu Mountain lies Jiayuguan, one of the greatest ancient forts on the Silk Road. The Fort was founded during the Ming Dynasty, built to an existing watchtower and completed in 1372. It was the western end of the Great Wall and for the Chinese the last outpost of civilization, beyond which lay barbarian country. The Fort is also known as “Impregnable Defile under the Heaven” and has been crowned as the best in China due to its bleak location.

 The Jiayuguan Fort, 5km southwest of the city, is generally acknowledged to be the western end of the snaking Great Wall. Also known as the “Impregnable Defile under the Heaven”, the fort has been crowned as the best in China due to its perilous and bleak location.

The Overhanging Great Wall was built in 1539 during the Ming Dynasty and is anectension of the Jiayuguan Fort. The wall appears to hang over the cliff and block the viral pass of Shiguan Xiakou.