Desheng Gate (德胜门 “Gate of Virtuous Triumph”) is the name of a city gate that was once part of Beijing’s northern city wall. It is one of Beijing’s few preserved city gates and now stands as a landmark on the northern 2nd Ring Road.
The original gate complex, built in 1437, was composed of three structures—the gatehouse, archery tower, and barbican. The gatehouse proper was demolished in 1921, and the city wall was torn down in 1969. Today only the archery tower and the barbican survived. They overlook the northern city moat, and house an ancient coin exhibition inside.
Desheng Gate is now a major transportation node in northern Beijing. The gate complex is surrounded by the Desheng Gate Bridge, which is a rotary overpass that channels traffic from the 2nd Ring Road to the Badaling Expressway. The street that once passed through the gate is still named in relation to it. South of Deshengmen and inside the old city wall is Desheng Gate Inner Street. To the north, it is called Desheng Gate Outer Street.
Desheng Gate means “Gate of Virtuous Triumph.” In traditional times, the imperial military would march out of Beijing through Xuanwumen, the Gate of Declaration of War, and return through Desheng Gate.