Beijing Attractions: Summer Palace

Ancient Observatory Back Lakes Area Beihai Park Beijing Attractions Beijing Museums Beijing Opera Theater Beijing Parks Beijing Police Museum Beijing Temples Bell Tower Chairman Mao Memorial Hall Confucius Temple Dashanzi – Factory 798 Arts Area Drum Tower Forbidden City Forbidden City Guide Foreign Legation Quarter Hutong Great Hall of the People Great Wall of China Jingshan Park Lama Temple The Legend Luxury & Entertainment Center Ming City Walls Nanluoguxiang Hutong National Grand Theater National Museum Prince Gong's Mansion Ritan Park South East Corner Watchtower Summer Palace Temple of Heaven Tiananmen Square Yuyuantan Park Zhongshan Park

Summer Palace

• Huge park 12km north west of Beijing center
• Was originally built in the 18th century
• Damaged by European troops in 1860
• Repaired by Empress Dowager Cixi
• Site of vast Kunming Lake
• UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Visited by tour groups from all over China
• Possible to visit by boat

Originally built in its present shape by Emperor Qianlong for his mother around 1750, this sprawling palace with its lakes and gardens served as the summer home for royalty for centuries. In 1860 and 1900 the palace severely damaged by invading foreign armies but rebuilt twice by Empress Dowager Cixi.

Some of the attractions include The Long Corridor with its 10,000 painted scenes on the beams above your head as you wander beside the beautiful Kunming Lake is something not to be missed on a visit to the Summer Palace. Electric boats or paddle boats can be hired by those wanting to get out onto the water. Take a picnic and enjoy a very relaxed day on, or by the water as you escape the summer heat.

Little Suzhou Water Village offers a range of souvenir shops for those wanting such things. On the quieter side you may enjoy a walk along the north side of Longevity Hill.

A marble boat rebuilt by Empress Cixi is something to be marveled at near the western end of The Long Corridor. She refurbished the palace with money earmarked for the Chinese navy. The three level Peking opera theatre in the Garden of Harmonious virtue was something designed for Cixi's entertainment and is well worth a visit.

For people wanting to avoid road transport there is the option of visiting by boats via canals from Yuyuantan Park and from behind the Beijing Exhibition Center near the Beijing Zoo.

The Summer Palace is open from 6.30am to 8pm with tickets for 30rmb April 1st to October 31st and 20rmb for the rest of the year.

Beigongmen 北宫门
This is the closest subway stop to the Summer Palace on Line 4, bringing tourists literally right to the doorstep of this attraction, without needing to get off previously at Wudaokou to hop in a taxi or bus to reach the Summer Palace. A few stops before this subway stop is Yuanmingyuan Park, also known as the Old Summer Palace.

Yiheyuan Lu
19 Xinjian Gongmen
Haidian District
Telephone: 6288 1144

Book Hotel Accommodation in Beijing Here

Hotels in Beijing - Bookings
Hotels in Beijing - Agoda
Hostels in Beijing - Hostelworld
Beijing Hotels - Accommodation Online
Hotels in China - Hotelclub
Book Luxury Hotels in Beijing