Hulishan Fortress

胡里山炮台

A coastal defense fort built in the late Qing dynasty, home to the largest surviving Krupp coastal gun in the world and the starting point of the Ring Road. It is a historic site of coastal military defense.

Hulishan Fortress was built between 1894 and 1896, during the Guangxu era of the Qing dynasty. It sits on Hulishan, a headland at the southern tip of Xiamen Island that guards the channel into Xiamen Harbor. It is an important site of China's modern coastal defense and a national key cultural relic protection unit. The main highlight is a 280 mm cannon made by the German firm Krupp in 1893. It is 13.9 m long with a range of nearly 20 km, and it is the largest surviving ancient cannon in the world, still in its original emplacement. There are also fortress-style barracks, tunnels, fort walls, and a museum displaying the history of coastal defense in the Qing and Republican eras. Around 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day, Qing soldiers perform cannon-firing demonstrations (check the on-site schedule). From the top of the fort, you can overlook the Taiwan Strait, the Xiamen University Baicheng Beach, and the Ring Road. Tickets cost about 25 yuan, with half price for students. Getting there: take the 'Hulishan' bus stop, or walk about 15 minutes from the Da'nan Gate of Xiamen University. This is also the starting point for biking the Ring Road. Tips: visit the fortress first, then ride east along the Ring Road to Zengcuoan. There is little shade on the summit in summer, so use sun protection. The fort has many steps, so older visitors and children should watch their footing.

Hulishan Fortress

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