China's largest imperial garden and the former summer capital of the Qing dynasty is surrounded by lakes, forest and mountains.See more..
4.5West Castle(4 reviews) - Well preserved Gubao ( castle) Thursday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Castles
We arrived to the Nuanquanzhen and were lucky to park in front of Nuanquan academy. The ticket seller from the academy was so nice - she showed us ( 4 foreigners) the academy and also the West Castle. Castle is being reconstructed and inside there are expositions about the ancient way of life - farming , ancient beds, cutlery etc. There are not only amazing spots for photographers as well you as you can also get to see the locals who are still living inside the castle. We visited during National holiday week but there was practically no tourists which was very refreshing. The tradition of "da shuhua" 打树花 is one of the attractions in Nuanquanzhen. Do not miss the opportunity to see the show - at evening, 7 pm.See more..
3.0Xuanhua City Walls(1 review) - Large restored city wall section and southern gate tower Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins • Architectural Buildings • Castles
Xuanhua was a huge ancient city, and part of the city walls remain. The southern city gate costs 5RMB to enter, and gives good views of the bell tower. The restored city wall is free to enter. Both are closed from 12 - 2pm. The restored city wall is over 2 km long, and is being restored as far as the eye can see north. Other ruined sections of city wall can be seen the southern park and the east of the city. Nearby attractions include the Liao Dynasty tomb, city towers, and Jimingyi Walled town. I paid a taxi to all of the above on a day trip from Beijing. From wikipedia - Historically, Xuanhua has been the "Gateway to Beijing," a city with a large garrison that was close enough to the capital to be strategically vital. Xuanhua was also the garrison headquarters for the soldiers on the Xuanda-Shanxi Military Area, commanding Xuanfu Zhen, Datong Zhen and ShanxiZhen of the Great Wall, one of the three military governorships of the great wall in the Ming Dynasty.See more..
