The Classical Gardens of Suzhou

The Classical Gardens of Suzhou

Considered one of the world's most important historic gardens — hence their designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the Classical Gardens of Suzhou should rank highly on your China travel itinerary. Located in the historic city of Suzhou in Jiangsu province, these magnificent gardens were established in the 11th century, at a time when the city was experiencing unprecedented growth, and were among some 270 or more gardens planted here. Of the surviving restored gardens, the most famous is the delightful Garden of Lingering, a seven-acre site laid out in 1800 on the site of a park originally created during the Ming Dynasty.

One of the most famous garden complexes in China, the garden boasts a pool, several attractive buildings, a man-made hill, a grove of peach trees, and a lovely covered pathway on the walls of which hang more than three hundred stone tablets engraved with old Chinese characters. Also worth visiting is the Garden of the Cang Lang Ting Pavilion, a two-acre garden offering many unique features, including a double arcade connecting the inner and outer sections.