Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Funded entirely by donations from overseas Chinese communities after Sun Yat-sen's death in 1925, this monument is a marriage of classical Chinese roofs with Western steel-truss engineering. Architect Lü Yanzhi (also designed Sun's mausoleum in Nanjing) built a 4,700-seat auditorium with zero supporting columns inside — an extraordinary feat for 1931. The blue-glazed octagonal roof, red columns, and white-marble base are designed to be photographed from the south plaza; the bronze statue of Sun out front was sculpted in Tokyo and erected in 1956. The Memorial Park surrounding it (free) contains century-old banyans and is a popular morning exercise spot. The Hall itself can be entered (¥10) — peek inside the auditorium during off-hours, or attend the Guangzhou Symphony's free outdoor concerts on summer Saturday evenings. Closest Metro: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Line 2, Exit C).