Overview
The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) was the Qing imperial summer retreat — a 290-hectare masterpiece of imperial Chinese garden design built around Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. Constructed in 1750 under Emperor Qianlong, it was destroyed twice (in 1860 by Anglo-French forces and 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion) and restored by Empress Dowager Cixi. The 728m Long Corridor is painted with over 14,000 scenes, and highlights include the 17-Arch Bridge, bronze elephants, and the famous Marble Boat. A UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admission CNY 30 (CNY 60 all-access). A 5-minute walk from Beigongmen Station (Metro Line 4).
Opening Hours
06:30-18:00 (April-October), 07:00-17:00 (November-March)
Travel Tips
Enter from Beigongmen, traverse Longevity Hill, and exit at the East Palace Gate. Renting a boat on Kunming Lake (CNY 40/hr) adds extra charm.
Hotels near Summer Palace
Hotels and guesthouses in Beijing, Haidian, Beijing
Other attractions in Beijing
Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
The world's largest ancient palace complex, with around 9,000 rooms that once housed the Ming and Qing emperors.
Great Wall of China
One of the Seven Wonders of the World - humanity's largest construction project, stretching over 20,000km.
Temple of Heaven
A UNESCO site where emperors offered sacrifices to heaven, featuring a geometrically perfect circular altar.
Tiananmen Square
The world's largest city square and the political heart of modern China.
Hutong (Nanluoguxiang)
Centuries-old siheyuan courtyard alleys from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties — Beijing's traditional old town.
Wangfujing Street
Beijing's 700-year-old premier shopping and snack street, famous for its night market.