Zhangjiajie I – Gate to Heaven

This gigantic staircase on Tianmen Mountain is not only a spectacular tourist attraction, but also a spiritual symbol for the Chinese, representing the ascent to heaven. At the top stands the enormous natural Heaven’s Gate, which, according to legend, broke through the mountain in AD 263. Here’s a short introductory video, volumen on.

Even getting there is an adventure: first, you ride the currently longest cable car in the world (about 7.5 km long with an elevation gain of 1,200 m), followed by a bus journey along a spectacular mountain road with 99 hairpin bends over just 11 km. 

The staircase looks almost vertical from below. Climbing the 999 steps (for comparison: Cologne Cathedral has 533 steps, and Valencia’s Micalet Tower has 207) is sweaty work and much more demanding than we expected. When we finally reach the top and dare to look back down, we’re both exhausted and amazed. Wow! Don’t forget to turn on the sound for the video.

But the adventure isn’t over yet. Next, seven long escalators built inside the mountain take you all the way to the summit of Tianmen Mountain. At the top, narrow cliffside paths wind along the rock face, suspension bridges span deep gorges, and glass walkways seem to float high above the abyss.

The staircase is just as impressive after nightfall. We didn’t get to see it ourselves, but it’s a spectacular sight. From time to time, Tianmen Mountain also hosts daring—and sometimes rather crazy—events that don’t always go according to plan.

72 Wonder Tower

This fantasy-style castle, inspired by traditional Tujia architecture, doesn’t actually have 72 towers. In reality, it’s the spectacular backdrop for a huge open-air venue with food stalls, beer gardens, and live performances. The number 72 comes from an ancient legend of the Xiangxi region. Although it looks like a centuries-old historic building when illuminated at night, it only opened in 2022.

On closer inspection, it actually consists of 36 individual stilt houses and is considered the world’s tallest stilt building, reaching a height of about 110 meters (361 ft). After dark, it transforms into a dazzling stage where drum performances, traditional dances, live music, fire shows, spectacular costumes, and even “flying princesses” entertain visitors every evening.