The pagoda
Thirteen tiers.
kanegen — CC BY 2.0 · Zhangzhugang — CC BY-SA 4.0 · 钉钉 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nathan Hughes Hamilton — CC BY 2.0 · Guoyunhebrave — CC BY-SA 3.0 · ykeiko — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Siyuwj — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Zhangzhugang — CC BY-SA 4.0
A historic multi-storey pagoda at the foot of Yuelun Hill in south Hangzhou, overlooking the broad Qiantang River; first built in 970 in the Wuyue kingdom, it was destroyed in war in 1121 and fully rebuilt by 1165 under the Southern Song. Tradition holds that it was built to calm the famous tidal bore of the Qiantang River and to serve as a beacon for boats; from outside it shows thirteen tiers of eaves, while inside it has seven storeys. A narrow inner stairway climbs to wide views over the river and the historic Qiantang steel bridge, and its garden holds an exhibition of scale models of pagodas from across China. Tickets are about CNY 20, plus about 10 to climb the pagoda, per visitor guides. In autumn, especially in the middle of the eighth lunar month, the river's famous tidal bore draws crowds.
Thirteen tiers.
From the top.
In the garden.
Yuelun Hill, on the Qiantang River, Hangzhou
About CNY 20, plus about 10 to climb the pagoda, per visitor guides.