Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)

Yuanmingyuan was the Qing emperors' grandest imperial garden — a 350-hectare complex of pavilions, lakes, and European-style fountains built between 1707 and 1860. In October 1860 during the Second Opium War, Anglo-French troops looted and burned the palace over three days; the ruins were left as found and today serve as a national patriotic memorial. The most photographed section is the Western Mansions area (西洋楼) where the European-style stone columns of the Hai Yan Tang and the Dashuifa fountains still stand in elegant collapse. The park is enormous — most visitors do the Western Mansions section in 1.5 hours, but the surrounding lakes, native gardens, and museum can absorb a full half-day. Spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November) are best. Buy the combined ticket (25 RMB) to access the Western Mansions area; the rest is 10 RMB. Different from and a 15-minute walk away from the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). Reach via Metro Line 4 to Yuanmingyuan Park station.