Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) Beijing

The Old Summer Palace is also commonly known as the Ruins of the Yuanmingyuan, which means Garden of Perfection and Light. The Old Summer Palace is located towards the north west of Beijing. It was first constructed in the year 1709 during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In the years that followed, this garden expanded and became a place of pleasure for the Chinese Emperors. The garden is spread in a total area of over 864 acres.

The Old Summer Palace has three parts namely - Yuanmingyuan, Wanchunyuan (the Garden of Blossoming Spring) and Changchunyuan (the Garden of Eternal Spring). The garden has many beautiful spots such as exquisitely constructed halls, pavilions, chambers, kiosks, earth and rock hills, rivers and ponds, exotic flowers and grasses.

The garden is made distinct from other traditional Chinese gardens by blending it harmoniously with Chinese scenery and western architecture. The Grand Waterworks, the Throne for viewing the Waterworks and the Labyrinth are the most beautiful of the all things.

The admission fee charged for entry to the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) is CNY 25. The Old Summer Palace opens from 7: 00 in the morning to 5: 30 in the evening during winter and from7 am to 7 pm during summers. It is recommended to have at least an hour's time to be able to see Yuanmingyuan. The bus route suggested to reach the Palace is 706 and 806.

Yuanmingyuan also has an imperial museum that collected a large number of books, treasures and cultural artifacts.

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