Old Summer Palace

The Old Summer Palace once had pride of place in the Chinese Empire, and included opulent gardens, pagodas and towers. It was a symbol of the power and affluence of the royal dynasties, and was also known as Yuanmingyuan, or the Gardens of Perfect Brightness. But the buildings were largely razed to the ground in 1860 and the relics and art stolen during the Second Opium War with the British and the French.

The palace complex was ruined in retaliation for the killing of twenty members of a negotiating team sent by the invading British forces. Widespread looting of the precious porcelain and other artefacts took place when French and British troops arrived. Then, the commanders of these forces decided to burn the imperial palace to discourage the use of kidnapping as a bargaining tool – this took 3,500 soldiers three full days to complete. The ruins have been kept as they are by the Chinese people as a reminder of this act. Stolen antiques are still in many foreign museums and houses of the wealthy to this day.

Thankfully, much of the garden complex survived the fires, and it is still very attractive. The shore of the lake is perfect for a picnic and some bridges, terraces and a few buildings survive from the Qing Dynasty of the 18th century. Admire the Garden of Perfection and Light, or take in the beautiful Garden of Blossoming Spring or the Garden of Eternal Spring during your walk around the enormous 348-hectare site. Children will be delighted by the fantastic labyrinth.

There is a model of the complex at the height of its glory on display in the Yuanmingyuan exhibition hall, while you can also visit the European-style stone palaces. Both of these attractions will incur an extra fee.

The Old Summer Palace is eight kilometres from the centre of Beijing you can take a bus or subway to Yuanmingyuan Park Station. The palace is open longer on summer evenings, and there is a reasonable admission fee.