Gate to the East
301.8 m tall.
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A wide lake at the heart of modern Suzhou, covering about 7.18 square kilometres in the China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park; once a shallow marsh, it was redeveloped from 2003 into one of China's largest lakeside parks. Walking and cycling paths, gardens and two man-made islands ring the lake, with malls, restaurants and entertainment concentrated on its northern and western shores and green spaces on the eastern and southern ones. The lake is overlooked by the Gate to the East, a 301.8 m skyscraper completed in 2016 in the shape of a huge arch, which locals jokingly compare to a pair of trousers; it sits exactly where the old city's historic axis meets the lakeshore. Strolling around the lake is free, and evenings are best, when the towers light up and their glow reflects on the water; it's a modern break after a day in the old gardens.
301.8 m tall.
Walking and cycling.
On the water.
Suzhou Industrial Park, east of the city
A 301.8 m arch-shaped skyscraper on Jinji Lake, completed in 2016, jokingly compared to a pair of trousers.