Attraction
Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
The walled palace of the Ming and Qing emperors, now the Palace Museum, with almost a thousand surviving buildings and a vast collection of art and…
Summer Palace
The Qing dynasty imperial garden on Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, with the Long Corridor, the Marble Boat and the Tower of Buddhist Incense.
At a glance
- Type
- Imperial garden and lake
- Area
- Haidian, Beijing, China
Good to know
- Book 1 to 7 days ahead on official WeChat
- Separately charged sights
- Kunming Lake
- Long Corridor
Why we recommend it
The Summer Palace is a Qing dynasty imperial garden in Haidian, in the north-west of Beijing. The Qianlong Emperor began it around 1749 to mark his mother's 60th birthday, and it was finished in 1764 under the name Qingyiyuan. Anglo-French forces burned it in 1860 during the Second Opium War. Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt it from 1884, partly with naval funds, and gave it the name Yiheyuan in 1888. It was damaged again in 1900 and restored soon after, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
The site covers about 2.9 square kilometres, and about three-quarters of it is water. Kunming Lake is man-made, and the excavated earth was used to build up Longevity Hill, which rises about 60 metres. Along the northern shore runs the Long Corridor, a painted covered walkway 728 metres long. On the front of the hill is the Tower of Buddhist Incense, 41 metres high on a 20-metre stone base. Other highlights include the Marble Boat, the 150-metre Seventeen-Arch Bridge leading to South Lake Island, and Suzhou Street, a canal-side shopping street modelled on Shantang Street in Suzhou and restored in 1988.
The official visitor guide divides the park into three areas. The palace area includes the East Palace Gate, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony and the Hall of Jade Ripples. Longevity Hill holds the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, the Tower of Buddhist Incense and the Sea of Wisdom Temple, and the Kunming Lake area takes in South Lake Island and the West Causeway.
Tickets can be booked one to seven days in advance through the park's official WeChat account, and you need to bring your passport. Some sights inside are charged separately. In the peak season, from 1 April to 31 October, the entrance gates open from 6am to 7pm; from November to March they open from 6.30am to 6pm. In the off season the separately charged sights close on Mondays, except on important holidays.
Allow at least half a day, as the grounds are large and the main sights are spread around the lake. The park suits families, walkers and photographers. In late October and early November, the trees along the Long Corridor change colour.
Summer Palace FAQs
How do you book Summer Palace tickets?
Book one to seven days in advance through the park's official WeChat account, and bring your passport. Tickets are also sold at the service window by the gate.
What are the opening hours?
From 1 April to 31 October the gates open 6am to 7pm; from 1 November to 31 March they open 6.30am to 6pm.
Are all sights included in the entry ticket?
No. Some sights inside the park are charged separately.
Are any sights closed on Mondays?
In the off season, the separately charged sights close on Mondays, except on important holidays.
How long is the Long Corridor?
It is 728 metres long.
How long should I allow?
Plan for at least half a day, as the park covers about 2.9 square kilometres.
When was the Summer Palace built?
The Qianlong Emperor began it around 1749, and Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt it after it was burned in 1860.
Is there a good time for autumn colour?
Late October to mid-November, according to Beijing's park authority.