As the termination point of he Great Wall, Jiayuguan was the gateway to the Chinese empire from the west, a remote, desolate outpost on the edge of the wilderness.

There are a couple of important sights here: Jiayuguan Pass, First Beacon Tower and Over-hanging Great Wall. Now restored and just outside the town, the pass are the ancient fort which once marked China's western entrance. In addition, there is countless mural-bearing Bricks tombs scattered around the area dating back to 4th century AD. Some of them at Xingcheng are opened.

Overhanging Great Wall: In order to mark the official "other end" of the Great Wall, the Chinese tourist hoffins have overseen the restoration of an impressive stretch some 8km north of the Jiayuguan pass. It's certainly worth a visit. It is not so much a case of renovation as it was of complete rebuilding. It's fun to climb the wall but that is hard work and for the energetic only.

There are about 1400 tombs, some 20km east of the city center, dating back to the Wei-Jin Dynasties (220- Most tombs excavated have mural-bearing bricks, and reputed as the largest underground art gallery in the world. The paintings in the open tombs (No. 6) are perfectly preserved. depicting everyday activities, and quite a few draw perfect circles freehand. It is interesting to visit at virtually any time as the custodians live here.