Watchtower
敌台
By Great Wall Archive · Updated June 2026
A watchtower (敌台) is a tower built into the wall body itself, projecting from the rampart so defenders could shelter, store weapons, and fire along the face of the wall. On the restored Ming sections near Beijing the watchtowers are the silhouette most people picture when they think of the Great Wall.
Watchtower vs beacon tower
The two are often confused. A watchtower (敌台) is part of the wall, set astride or projecting from it; a beacon tower (烽火台) stands alone for signalling. A single restored section such as Mutianyu can carry dozens of watchtowers spaced a bowshot apart, each one a strongpoint that let defenders cover the wall between them.
Hollow and solid towers
Early towers were solid platforms reached by ladder. The Ming innovation was the hollow tower with internal chambers, arrow loops, and stairs, so a garrison could live, store powder, and fight under cover. This is why the best-preserved Ming sections read as a rhythm of towers rather than an unbroken wall.
Related
Sources
Great Wall Archive. “Watchtower (敌台).” https://greatwallarchive.com/architecture/watchtower