Joanna James
The very first garden in the city of Suzhou dates back to almost the 6th century BC. At present, there are known to be 69 preserved gardens in Suzhou, with nine of them being UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
This fascinating garden is famous for its very striking vistas; therefore, if you are someone that loves all things architecture related, this may be the one for you to visit first! In fact, the Lingering Garden is known to be one of the best-preserved gardens in Suzhou, which is saying something. Praised as one of China's four famous gardens, along with the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Summer Palace in Beijing and Chengde Summer Palace, it is a must to visit this garden. Built in the Ming Dynasty and modified in the Qing Dynasty, bringing it to its current layout, this garden is known to be the perfect example of the Qing Dynasty's garden landscaping. Among all of Suzhou's gardens, this garden has the most buildings. The several water features, corridors, rocks and artificial hills make visiting the gardens one of the best things to do in Suzhou.
This is Suzhou's largest garden, and is a quick 16 minutes from Pan Pacific Suzhou, making its location a convenient spot for those interested in visiting. This garden spans a whopping 13.8 acres and is also one of the four most famous gardens in China. Constructed all the way back in 1509, this is a masterpiece of the Ming Dynasty's garden landscaping. The inside of the garden is divided into three sections: the eastern part, the central part and the western part. The most elite part of the garden is the central section. Within the gardens, you will come across numerous pavilions, rockeries, ancient trees and bridges giving off a calm and exquisite atmosphere.
Built during the Yuan Dynasty in 1342, the majority of the gardens are dominated by interesting rock formations, which appear in all shapes and sizes. These rock formations give this garden a unique look from the others, and many of them are in the shape of a lion; hence, the name. The garden covers 6.2 acres and you will get to see numerous ornamental pavilions and towers, each having its own style and story.
Built during the Southern Song Dynasty in the year 1180, this is the smallest landscape garden in the city. Inside of the garden, there is a residential quarter and a garden proper, with each turn consisting of rocks, water, trees and pavilions. Although this garden is much smaller, covering only 1.5 acres, it reflects the wisdom of historical landscape artists who have perfectly combined different elements of design.
This garden was built all the way back in 1044, during the Song Dynasty, making it the oldest classical garden in Suzhou. The Canglang Pavilion is situated beside a scenic lake and faces a small mountain to its south.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
