Attractions Hangzhou, China: pagodas, museums, nature

The capital and most populous city (9 million people in 2015) in Zhejiang is Hangzhou. China attracts tourists with exotic natural, historical and cultural monuments. National traditions, cuisine is also of interest to travelers. Attractions in Hangzhou in one line can not be listed. We will consider them sequentially. In the photo is the central part of the city with the Grand Canal. It connects two magnificent cities: Hangzhou and Suzhou.

Airport

First of all, the tourist will get to the modern international airport of Hangzhou Xiaoshan. It provides direct links with the countries of Southeast Asia, the Netherlands, the United States. While it has two terminals. One serves domestic passengers, the other - international. It has 12 runways and 18 landings. The capacity is 3600 people per hour. It is planned to build an additional runway and the third terminal. In the evening of July 9, 2010, it was closed for an hour, since a UFO appeared. He was not able to detect radars, and the flights were postponed. Then the work went into regular mode. From the top you can see the InterContinental Hotel - a magnificent modern building.

What to see: Hangzhou

Attractions in Hangzhou are available in such abundance that it is difficult to choose the first place. Lyrically-minded people will try to admire nature. Be sure to visit the West Lake, or Lake Sichu. Around him are many interesting places that have poetic names. The lake is divided into five sections by dams and is surrounded by numerous pagodas. It has an area of 10.8 square meters. Km. Popular boating with exquisite carvings. China has always treated the lake as its national treasure. Here stands the Imperial Palace, around which the park is divided. The open space is constantly expanding, night parks are added, in which music plays. There is an ancient legend about the immortal White Serpent, which lives in the lake and is able to turn into a woman. On the islands of the lake are three ancient low (two meters) stone pagodas, which have the shape of a pumpkin with an elongated neck. In their walls there are round holes. In the dark, inside the fire is lit inside. Passing through the round holes, it creates the impression that the moon is reflected many times in the water.

Nature of Hangzhou

Since ancient times the city is considered one of the most picturesque in China. Of the natural phenomena, the most beautiful is Lake Sichu. It is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The natural beauty of the lake is emphasized by lakes and hills, as well as Mount Phoenix. It is located on the edge of the lake. It is connected with a legend. The mountain is the remnants of the mythical golden phoenix, which together with the jade dragon created a beautiful pearl. She was stolen by the assistant goddess. To save their pearl, they forced her to fall from the sky and become a lake. Phoenix and the dragon decided to stay with her forever, turning into mountains.

Natural area

In the south-west in the valley of the rivers Fuchun and Xin'an there is a wonderful attractive place. There they flow into the Lake of a thousand islands. This is the state of Zhijiang. This is also the attractions of Hangzhou. Under the water of the lake you can see three long ago flooded cities with their surrounding wall. There are not only houses and furniture covered with algae, but even nails.

Around the lake

All the miraculous beauty seemed to have decided to gather at one point in Hangzhou, surrounding Lake Xihu. On three sides it is surrounded by mountains covered with forest. Weeping willows grow near peach trees, magnolias and cherries. It immediately grows and blooms with scarlet, golden, pink and white flowers hibiscus, which we call a Chinese rose. Its flowering occurs at the end of February and lasts until mid-April. In all water bodies the lotus is cultivated. It starts in early June. The peak of flowering is the end of June, but it can last even before the beginning of September. Osmanthus is a typical flowering plant for East Asia. We will never see him again. It blooms annually in the fall in the middle of the tourist season (from early September to early November). A fragrance spreads around the plant. Poets devoted a lot of lines to the flowering plum, which is growing in abundance in the city. The season of its flowering has become a traditional Spring Festival from the end of January to the middle of February.

Baochu pagoda

It can not be overlooked, if you visit the West Lake (Sihu), which was mentioned above. Its height - 30 meters - serves as a landmark in this huge park with a lake. Around are planted magnolias, sakura, peach trees. The title is translated as "protection of Chu", the last vana of his dynasty. This octagonal temple, built to pray for his safe return from Kaifeng. He was summoned by the emperor, and no one for a long time knew anything about him. The pagoda is built of stones and bricks. There are no stairs inside. Initially, it had nine floors, and after the restoration in 1933 there were seven of them. The length of each side of the floor is gradually decreasing. On each side there is a "blind" window. The last floor ends with an iron top. The foundation of the pagoda is granite stones. The tower is like a spear pointing to the sky. It stands on a hill of igneous rocks of brown and purple, shining in the sun. Early in the morning and at sunset, the sun's rays shine spectacularly on colorful rocks. There are always a lot of visitors around her.

Museums

Tea is an important part of the culture and economy of Hangzhou. China is the birthplace of tea. Its cultivation and tea ceremony can not be missed, as it is impossible not to visit the National Tea Museum. It opened in 1991. Visitors have the opportunity to look at the tea ceremony or participate in it in a quiet tranquil setting, tasting elite varieties. Here you can buy all the items you need for a tea ceremony. The National Silk Museum is the largest in the world. All these are the attractions of Hangzhou. The country is proud that it went through the silk route to the countries of Asia and Europe. It is necessary to visit the Liangzhu Museum of Hangzhou. This archaeological museum will tell a lot about the antiquity of the Celestial Empire. The museum consists of four buildings. Numerous sculptural compositions have been created to make the visitor more easily aware of their daily and festive existence, as well as the goals they set themselves in life, what exactly they were doing. The last building presents the social conditions of life and everyday life of the population. The museum itself has a modern look. His project was designed by architect David Chipperfield. The construction was completed in 2007, around the park is broken. On three sides the museum is surrounded by an artificially created lake. Visitors enter through the bridge, which is located above the lake. In addition, the city has a Museum of Chinese Medicine, as well as kilns for burning porcelain.

Pagodas

The Six Harmony pagoda (Liuheta) is built of wood and brick on the south-western outskirts of Hangzhou in 970 BC. E. It served primarily as a protection against the tidal waves of the Qiantang River. The name comes from 6 Buddhist notions: "the harmony of heaven, earth, east, west, south and north." This is one of the highest pagodas in southern China (almost 60 m in height). Inside there is a spiral staircase. On each floor there is a square room. Their walls are decorated with brightly colored human figures, flowers, birds, fish, insects and other decorative patterns. Balconies with handrails are located around each floor. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery in the open air. For many years, Liuhe Pagoda serves as a beacon and a temple. Recently, a park of pagodas was opened next to it.
His expositions represent models of various Chinese pagodas of all time.

Weather in Hangzhou

The tourist can not help but wonder what time of year it is best to go to Hangzhou. The weather as a whole is warm and mild. The first rainy season falls at the end of June - the beginning of July. The other comes with heavy rains and typhoons in August and September. The tourist season opens in the spring (March and May), as well as in the autumn (October-December). At this time, the average temperature is 17 degrees. We recommend taking shirts with long sleeves and light coats from clothes. At this time, the Mid-Autumn Festival is held. In the evenings everyone goes to admire the bright moon over the Western Lake, which is impeccably reflected in it.

The city of Hangzhou as a paradise since the time of Marco Polo, so they stayed. A trip to it is a dream that can be realized.