Yuanmingyuan National Archaeological Site Park

Yuanmingyuan National Archeological Site Park
圆明园考古遗址公园

Address: 28 Qinghua West Road, Haidian district, Beijing
Hours: 7 am -7:30 pm
Tel: (+86-10)62628501
General admission: 10 yuan ($1.54)

Located in west suburban Beijing, the Yuanmingyuan Park, or the Garden of Perfect Brightness, was a grand imperial garden created by and for the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperors over more than 150 years. Though today there are only the remains of architectural components and foundations, in earlier days there was a building complex that blended multiple styles, whose grand scales, amazing designs, excellent craftsmanship and numerous treasures entitled the park to the descriptions “the garden of myriad gardens” and “a model of all gardening arts”.

The garden was looted in 1860 by the Anglo-French coalition troops and forty years later in 1900, its architectural remains were destroyed again by the Eight-Nation Alliance. It was not well protected until 1988 when it was designated a foremost protected cultural heritage by the State Council. With decades of protection and improvements, it has now become one of the major attractions of the city, where people can fully relax and acquire historical knowledge by visiting the remains of once-glorious landscapes, including the Hall of Tranquil Sea, Grand Fountains, Yellow Flower Formation and View of Distant Seas.