Summer PalaceThe Summer Palace stands in a 294 hectare park in Haidian district in northwest Beijing. There has been an imperial summer residence on this site since the Jin Dynasty, (1115-1234), but it has been rebuilt and extended many times. It reached the height of its glory during the Qing Dynasty.
Kunming Lake covers about three quarters of the park grounds, and the breeze off its surface keeps the park cool in the summer, which is surely the reason the emperors built their summer residence here in the first place. The beautiful Seventeen Arch Bridge goes from the lakeshore to an island at it’s center.
The palace itself, with its many buildings and halls for both living and court purposes, is built on Longevity Hill, overlooking the lake and reflected in it. The Tower of Buddhist Incense stands at the top of the hill, and thus at the highest point in the park.
Further down the lakeshore you can find the famous Marble Boat floating at the dock. Further still, you can find the Suzhou Market Street, where water flows between the buildings instead of a road. The street is designed to look like a scene out of southeast China, and has many and varied souvenir shops. There are also a number of secluded ponds and pavilions scattered throughout the grounds.
Like many other historical sites in Beijing, the Summer Palace was burned by foreign powers during the Boxer Rebellion. It has since been rebuilt in all its Qing era grandeur, and it’s now a popular tourist attraction with Chinese and foreigners alike.
