Yuanmingyuan Park
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Yuanmingyuan Park - by Liang Wan on Google





Description
Yuanmingyuan (圓明園), or the Old Summer Palace, was the main imperial residence of Qianlong Emperor and his successors under the Qing Dynasty after its construction during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor in the early 18th century. The complex consisted of three gardens (Perfect Brightness, Eternal Spring, and Elegant Spring) covering 350ha, several lakes and dozens of halls, pavilions, temples, and bridges. The palace was destroyed by an Anglo-French expeditionary force in 1860, during the Second Opium War. Only a few Chinese-style and European-style buildings survived and the site was abandoned until it was turned into a historical site in the 1980s.
Access & Transport
The palace is about 17km northwest of the city centre of Beijing. There are several bus services heading there and metro line #4 reaches all the way - visitors should alight at Yuanmingyuan station.
Instructions & Recommendations
Although there is some degree of overlap, the proximity to the Summer Palace makes this a good combo.
Environmental & Social
We consider this attraction environmentally neutral. Part of the country's architectural and historical heritages.
Conclusion
The Old Summer Palace is clearly not even a shadow of its former self and it takes some imagination to reconstruct what it would have looked like, relegating the Summer Palace to a second tier complex! That being said, the various lakes and bridges make for an enjoyable walk with some culture thrown in - the perfect opportunity to learn or revise the history of the Second Opium War and generally of China's troubled relationship with the West under the Qing dynasty.
Key positive
Plenty of green spaces and an interesting history
Metro station nearby
Key negative
Not many buildings remain to be seen
A little time consuming to get to from the city centre
Suitability
Accessible
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
February 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:1h
est. visit time:2h
Start of Season 1:Apr, 01
MONDAY07:00 - 20:30
TUESDAY07:00 - 20:30
WEDNESDAY07:00 - 20:30
THURSDAY07:00 - 20:30
FRIDAY07:00 - 20:30
SATURDAY07:00 - 20:30
SUNDAY07:00 - 20:30
Start of Season 2:Nov, 01
MONDAY07:00 - 19:30
TUESDAY07:00 - 19:30
WEDNESDAY07:00 - 19:30
THURSDAY07:00 - 19:30
FRIDAY07:00 - 19:30
SATURDAY07:00 - 19:30
SUNDAY07:00 - 19:30