Ice lanterns
Since 1963.
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Harbin's oldest park, laid out by the Chinese Eastern Railway administration in 1906 close to Central Street and covering about 7.5 hectares of lakes, bridges and pavilions; in 1946 it was named after Li Zhaolin, a commander of the resistance against the Japanese occupation, who is buried here. It is known as the birthplace of ice lantern art in China: since 1963 it has hosted the Ice Lantern Garden Party, where lanterns and figures are carved from blocks of ice and lit from within in colour, the oldest of the city's ice festivals. In summer the park becomes a quiet green escape, with old bridges and pavilions listed as protected heritage, and wild mandarin ducks have bred on its lake since 1995. The park is free, and the 2025–26 Ice Lantern Garden Party was free too with no booking, from 10:00 to 21:00, per visitor guides. A winter visit is best after dark, when the lanterns glow.
Since 1963.
And pavilions.
On the lake.
Senlin Street, Daoli District, Harbin
Central Street (Zhongyang Street)Harbin's best-known street, a cobbled pedestrian street 1,450 metres long runnin7 minutes walk4.4
Flood Control Monument and Stalin ParkA landmark on the bank of the Songhua River right at the end of Central Street, 7 minutes walk4.5
Saint Sophia Cathedral, HarbinHarbin's best-known landmark, a former Russian Orthodox church crowned by a huge11 minutes walk4.6
Laodaowai Chinese Baroque QuarterHarbin's old Chinese quarter, where Chinese residents lived in the 1920s apart f18 minutes walk4.3It was free with no booking in the 2025–26 season, from 10:00 to 21:00, and the park itself is free all year, per visitor guides.