Tianmen Mountain rises directly behind the city of Zhangjiajie in Yongding District, its summit platform standing 1,518.6 metres above sea level. Records trace its name to the year 263, when the cliff is said to have opened into the arch now called Tianmen Cave, 131.5 metres high, that gives the mountain its identity as Heaven's Gate. A French-built cableway from the railway station, an 11-kilometre mountain road with 99 bends and a 999-step staircase all lead to the top, where cliff-hung walkways — some of them glass — circle the summit. The mountain has become China's favourite stage for stunts, from wingsuit championships to car climbs up the stairs.
Tianmen Mountain carries a natural arch that records say opened in the year 263, a French-built cableway from 2005 and glass walkways added in 2016. Each layer of engineering arrived in a different decade, each aimed at a different kind of visitor.