Famous Landmarks in
Hangzhou are considered the Name Card of Hangzhou, like the West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Six Harmonies Pagoda, etc. ancient and new. They are somehow, represent a certain character or role Hangzhou played to the world. Come with
TopChinaTravel, to witness and appreciate those famous Hangzhou Landmarks.
An old Chinese saying goes, 'There is heaven above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below'. Centuries later, Marco Polo called Hangzhou the most enchanting city in the entire world. This is most evident in the West Lake area, the effective, if not geographic, center of Hangzhou. Hills embrace the lake on three sides; the city proper lies to the east. Ancient Chinese people praised the West Lake area as a land of intoxicating beauty.
It is like a shining pearl inlaid on the vast land of China, reputed for beautiful scenery, a multitude of historical sites, brilliant cultural relics, and a profusion of native products. Legend has it that the West Lake was a heavenly jewel fallen to earth. Pragmatists insist that it is a mere lagoon on Hangzhou's western fringe. In any case, West Lake has inspired painters for centuries.
Located on the northwest of the West Lake in Hangzhou, Lingyin Temple is one of the ten most famous ancient Buddhist monasteries in China. The existent temple was rebuilt during the 19th century. The Hall of Mahavira (great hero) inside the temple is 33.6 meters in height, and the statue of Sakyamuni in the Hall, was carved out of 24 pieces of camphor wood. In front of the Hall are two pagodas of rock which were built in 960 AD of the Song Dynasty.
Surrounded the temple are majestic peaks and sky-reaching ancient trees; it is really a tourist attraction that can offer you appealing places of historic interest, cultural relics as well as agreeable natural scenery with woods, flowers, springs, etc.
Located in the south of the West Lake in Hangzhou, the Six Harmonies Pagoda was constructed first in 970. Today the brick-and-wood structure of the Six Harmonies Pagoda remains largely intact. The wooden corridors around the pagoda's thirteen floors were built in 1900. The pagoda stands 59.89 meters high. In the pagoda there are more than two hundred sites of brick carvings, which feature a wide range of motifs, including megranate, lotus, phoenix, peacock, parrot, lion, kylin and so on. These brick carvings are rare material proofs of Chinese ancient architectures.
With a view of Qiantang River, the pagoda presents a quiet image of age-old majesty. Looking out from the top of the pagoda, sightseers can see as far as the misty horizon, enjoying the unforgettable, breathtaking scenery.
Leifeng Pagoda is located on the shores of the southeast side of the West Lake and originally built in the year 977. All that remains of the original pagoda is the crumbling foundation, viewable from outside the glass case that it is housed in. With escalators, elevators, and a totally new pagoda places on top of the foundation, there is not much to see within the pagoda itself; it was most recently rebuilt in 2000.
The view of the city skyline is one of the best from Leifeng Pagoda, and some of the smaller seating areas around the perimeter of the pagoda have a nice breeze and view of the structure. One of the 10 Scenes of the West Lake is "Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow".
Even on a cold, rainy spring day, Wuzhen, a town surrounded by rivers, about 80 kilometers from Hangzhou City, has a special beauty which has not yet been overrun by tourists.
Like many towns located south of the Yangtze River, Wuzhen is built along rivers. They run through the town and main scenic spots all gather along rivers, which run 1.3 km from east to west. Visitors walked through the long pavilion and in front of shops, as the cries of vendors rise and fall on the ear. The air is full of the smells of fresh vegetables, walnuts, fish and shrimp. The signboards of coppersmiths and grain shops still swing in the wind, reminding tourists of their history, but the doors are tightly closed.
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