Dagu Fort

Lying 37 miles (60 kilometers) southeast of Tianjin City, the Dagu Fort (also named Taku Forts) was built in 1816 to protect Beijing, the capital of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). As a heroic symbol of China's fight against foreign invasion, the emplacement is considered one of the three treasures of Tianjin by its people.

Tianjin is the gateway to Beijing, and the Dagu Fort is the gateway to Tianjin. Both the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing dynasties erected fortresses here because of its military importance. In 1858, the Qing government built six emplacements named Wei, Zhen, Hai, Men, Gao, and Shitoufeng. Each emplacement was equipped with three cannons. They were all thicker and wider than those constructed in the Ming Dynasty. The height of an emplacement is between 33 and 56 feet (10 and 17 meters) and the circumference of its base is between 200 and 245 yards (182 and 224 meters). The casemate were constructed with bricks and stones and strengthened by cement and sticky rice juice. When being fired by a shell, the casemate was solid enough with only a shallow hole left on it.

Between the mid-19th century and 1900, the foreign powers launched four wars in the Dagu area to gain economic and political control over China. The local armies and citizens fought bravely against the invaders, and many Chinese people sacrificed their lives for their country. After the war, the imperialists forced the Qing government to destroy the emplacements. As a result, most of the forts were demolished and only the Wei Fort and the Hai Fort survived.

Visitors can see the Dagu Fort Ruins Museum, the Dagu Fort Ruins Monument, and the Wei and the Hai forts here. The museum was built in 1997 at the ruins of the Wei Fort. Its exterior appearance looks like rusty metal, giving a sense of historical bitterness. Inside it displays the history of the emplacement with abundant pictures, illustrations, and objects. The cannons exhibited here are modeled on the ones used in the Second Opium War (1856-1860). The spot conveys a vivid feel for the cruel battle that took place in this area.

Near these emplacement ruins, many other scenic spots such as Haimen Bridge, Dagu Beacon, and Chaoyin Temple are also worthy of visiting. A visit here is destined to be an unforgettable one.

 1. Take Metro Line 9 and get off at Tanggu Station. Then take bus no. 110 and get off at Hemeiyuan Station. Then walk eastwards along Tianjin Avenue for about 700 yards (640 meters).
2. Take a train from Tianjin to Tanggu or take bus no. 503, 621, 651, or 835 in Tianjin to Tanggu Railway Station and transfer to bus no. 110.
Tianjin Bus / Metro Search