| Summer Palace tips and photos posted by real travelers and Beijing locals.
Northwest of Beijing
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You will hear the story of empress Cixi, that used the money available to build a naval fleet to build... a marble boat. The war was lost (of course) but she won an extra decoration in her luxurious garden.
The boat is beautiful, but, looking at it, I wonder: using that money, how big would the fleet be? Maybe so small that it would fatally end in the bottom of the sea.
Well, that's Cixi's only excuse!
Another VTer (lozolo) corrected me, explaining that the spent budget was used to build the whole garden and not only the marble boat. It makes sense, but the mistake is already generalized in guides and many sites in internet. Anyway, it's just an economic difference, the insanity remains... Leave a Comment
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... or an emperor... The summer palace is really a residence befitting an Emperor or Empress. This huge summer residence - complete with palace, lake, islands, pavilions, marble boat and other sights - was first built in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and expanded several times. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by fire as a result of fighting between the European forces and China in the mid 19th Century. The famous Empress Ci Xi had it rebuilt with funds originally intended for the Navy but which she cunningly redirected to realise her own plans for the place. It has been said that the most expensive boat in the country at the time was just that marble boat. You can also admire an exhibition of Ci Xi's birthday presents. Some areas have been fashioned according to famous spots in China, like the West Lake in Hangzhou.
The Summer Palace is, like many other historical sites in Beijing, this one is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the Palace area is a beautiful example of Chinese gardens at their best.
This area is huge, and you do well to plan your visit a bit to make the most of it, especially if you are on a schedule. Just walking around will take you a fair bit of time. Our route: entrance - island - boat trip to Marble Boat - Marble boat - pavilions - Palace. This took us about 3 hours and we only covered a small area.
Entrance to the Palace area: CNY30
Entrance to the Palace building: CNY10
Boat trip: CNY5
We took a taxi from the Forbidden City, about CNY30.
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 Suzhou market street by extrajoceLeave a Comment
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 the Marble Boat by machomikemd |
 Summer Palace by herzog63Leave a Comment
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 Lake seen from the palace by extrajoceLeave a Comment
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 Summer Palace by MickeH
This place will easily take a day to explore and appriceate.
Most of the buildings is on and around Longevity Hill to the northeast of the park, but the walk around the lake gives you plenty of spectacular veiws and pavilions and arc bridges as well as lush green surroundings. Leave a Comment
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 The full team and a
strange wall back by shivan
This is a bit blurry pic because the guide wanted to make it using one only hand and with all the other cameras on the other hand. This is the result.... Leave a Comment
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 The concrete boat afloat by cafank
It's a great place to visit but be prepared for:
1. HUGE attendances on weekends and especially on holidays - you will queue and take a lot of time getting anywhere.
2. WALKING: Be prepared for a lot of walking - the sites are located over many acres so you can end up walking for miles - especially if (like me) you got sick of waiting for boats.
3. FOOD & DRINKS: - They cost more here, and there are lots of packet noodles, not much more for budget travellers; take your own.
4. TRANSPORT: If you are going by Taxi walk out of the main gate and head toward Beijing (you will know the direction) they are easier to find on the main road if none at the gate.
5. SUNSCREEN & RAINCOAT. OK You may not need both on the same day but if you end up with lots of walking it pays to be prepared. Leave a Comment Directions: Bus Route: 801, 808, YT106, 716, 717, 817, 374, New Gongmen Special Route, 375, 375, 332, 333, 330, 346, 394, 718, 905, 362, 362, 301, 303. You can also get trains to Haidian district and it's a shortish taxi ride from the stationWebsite: http://www.summerpalace-china.com
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 Bridge over Kunming Lake by nepalgoods
I loved to go to the Summerpalace and to explore the area, as it is a very big place. Every time I went there I discovered a different sight.
There are palaces and temples spread in an area of hills and a lake. To see all the different palaces and halls and temples in the Summer Palace you need at least one day.
This bridge on the pic is the 17 Arches Bridge (Shiqikong Qiao) This bridge has 500 columns with individually designed lions and is 150m long.
When you cross the bridge you reach a small island with the Temple of the Dragon King (Longwang Miao). This temple originates from the Ming Dynasty. Leave a Comment
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