Summer Palace

Overview

The Summer Palace is China's largest and best-preserved imperial garden, covering 297 hectares of which three-quarters is Kunming Lake. It was the preferred summer retreat of the Qing court and represents a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design.

Highlights

• Long Corridor: A 728-meter covered walkway decorated with over 14,000 individual paintings depicting scenes from Chinese mythology, history, and literature.
• Marble Boat: A 36-meter lakeside pavilion shaped like a paddle steamer, infamously funded by Empress Dowager Cixi with money originally earmarked for the navy.
• Seventeen-Arch Bridge: A graceful 150-meter stone bridge spanning Kunming Lake, topped with 544 uniquely carved stone lions.

History

Originally built in 1750 by Emperor Qianlong, it was destroyed by Anglo-French forces in 1860 and painstakingly rebuilt by Empress Dowager Cixi in 1886 using naval funds. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

Visitor Tips

• Boat Ride: Take a dragon boat across Kunming Lake for excellent views of Longevity Hill and the Tower of Buddhist Incense.
• South Gate: Enter from the East Palace Gate for the main halls, or the North Gate for a quieter lakeside approach.
• Duration: 3–4 hours.