Summer Palace

On April 3rd we went for the first time to the Summer Palace.  It is a real shame it took us almost a year to visit.  I've already been back once and plan to make it a regular stop.

The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill (60 meters high) and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is water. The central Kunming Lake covering 2.2 square kilometers was entirely man made and the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill.

It served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi, who diverted 30 million taels of silver, said to be originally designated for the Chinese navy, into the reconstruction and enlargement of the Summer Palace. A bit cheeky, wouldn't you say?

We entered into the East Entrance and walked along the Long Corridor.  It is a covered walkway built in 1750.  It is famous for its length (728 m) in conjunction with its rich painted decoration (more than 14,000 paintings).  The corridor was constructed so that the emperor's mother could enjoy a walk through the gardens protected from the elements.

 Kunming Lake - Gorgeous!  I'll let the pictures do the talking....

 

The Marble Boat is often seen as an ironic commentary on the fact that the money used to restore the Summer Palace largely came from funds originally earmarked for building up a new imperial navy.

 Longevity Hill - fabulous views of Kunming Lake and an ensemble of grand buildings

Just a 'few' more pics to close out our wonderful day at the Summer Palace....