Old Summer Palace (Yuanming Yuan)

Beijing, China

Old Summer Palace was originally built in 1709 as a place where Emperors would spend their leisure time. The Palace is located in the northwestern part of the city and it refers to three parks – Yuanming Yuan, Wanchun Yuan, and Changchun Yuan. It spreads on over 350 hectares of space, but a significant portion of it is in ruins caused by destructions in the 19th and 20th century.

You can take a look at how the site looked during its ‘golden days’ in the exhibition hall. Some of the spots were rebuilt to enable visitors to relax and enjoy the astonishing scenery. The ruins that you can see in the park speak of the grandiosity of the Old Summer Palace in the past.

Other Things to See in Beijing
Great Wall of China at Shixia Guan | Huguosi Snack Street | Underwater Great Wall at Panjiakou Reservoir | Ding Ling Ming Tomb | Chang Ling Ming Tomb | Water Cube Water Park | Dino Dream Park | Monument to the People's Heroes | Great Hall of the People | Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum | Cuandixia | Great Wall of China at Gubeikou | Great Wall of China at Huanghua | Great Wall of China at Jiankou | Green Wall of China | National Peking Opera Theater | Peking Opera Art Museum | Baihe (White River) | Beijing Art Museum | Beijing Bell Tower | Houhai Hutong | Mausoleum of Mao Zedong | Wofo Si (Temple of the Recumbent Buddha) | Poly Theatre | Poly Art Museum | Beijing Workers' Stadium | 798 Art Zone | Nan Luo Gu Xiang | Olympic Green | Wangfujing | Python Mountain National Forest Park | Beijing National Centre for the Performing Arts | Bird's Nest - Beijing National Stadium | CCTV Tower | Water Cube - National Aquatics Center | Blue Zoo Aquarium | Great Wall of China at Jinshanling | Taoranting Park | Imperial Ancestral Temple | Capital Museum | Milu Park (Elk Park) | Shijingshan Amusement Park | Shichahai (Houhai) | Youth Lake Park | Niujie Mosque | Ming Dynasty Waxworks Palace | White Dagoba (Miaoying Temple) | Mei Lanfang Memorial | Guangji Temple | Miaofeng Shan | Longtan Park | Jing Shan Park | Huashi Mosque | Beijing Drum Tower (Gulou) | Prince Gong's Mansion | Fenghuang Ling Scenic Area (Phoenix Hill Scenic Area) | Fahai Temple | Dongyue Taoist Temple | Sanlitun | Panjiayuan Market | Yunju Temple and Shijing Mountain | Yanqi Lake | Tanzhe Temple | Great Wall of China at Simatai | Beijing World Park | Shihua Cave | Shidu | Qinglong Gorge Holiday Resort | Great Wall of China at Mutianyu | Nanshan Ski Resort | Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge) | Longqing Gorge | Kangxi Grasslands | Jingdong Canyon | Hongluo Temple | Beijing Ancient Observatory | Beijing Zoo and Aquarium | Bailongtan Scenic Area | Badachu Park (Eight Great Sites Park) | Great Wall of China at Juyong Guan (Juyong Pass) | Lama Temple (Yonghe Gong) | Tian'anmen Square | Temple of Heaven | Summer Palace | Ming Tombs | The Great Bell Temple | Fragrant Hills Park | Forbidden City | Beihai Park | Great Wall of China at Badaling |