Built roughly between 1750 and 1764 by the Qing Emperor Qianlong, it was originally called the Garden of Clear Ripples. The area housing the Summer Palace extends to around 2.9 square kilometres of which roughly two thirds is water. This is mainly the massive manmade lake of Kunming. The rest of the land area is mainly taken up with Longevity Hill which houses a series of buildings and separate gardens.
The imperial Chinese Garden is a symbol of the philosophy that has made the Chinese nation as a whole who they are today. The Summer Palace was given its present name following its reconstruction in 1895 when it was used as a summer resort mainly by the Empress Dowager Cixi who poured in a considerable amount of silver in order to renovate the Summer Palace to exude a majestic aura it still emanates today.
Predominant on Longevity Hill is the Tower of the Fragrance of Buddha rising to a height of 41 Meters. Supported by eight lignum vitae pillars and roofed with glazed tiles, the tower clearly stands out amongst its contemporaries.
Close by is the Revolving Archive on which is etched an account of the history of the garden. The Wu Fang Pavilion as well as the Baoyun Bronze Pavilion – which is made entirely out of Bronze are also worth visiting. Other buildings in the area are Hall that dispels clouds, Seventeen Arch Bridge, Sea of wisdom temple and Temple of Buddhist Virtue.
Visitors to China should definitely put the Summer Palace high on their itinerary list. Whilst on vacation if travellers seek Beijing serviced apartments for their accommodation then the Somerset ZhongGuanCun Beijing with central location and luxury amenities is an ideal serviced apartment in Beijing to consider.