Guangzhou may have its sights set on the future, yet still retains a significant past history that includes relic sites, temples, classical architecture and traditional arts.
Canton Tower offers stunning views, an amusing bubble tram ride, as well as numerous restaurants and attractions that make visiting worth your while. Don’t miss it especially since you can easily get to the city with Cathay Pacific routes like Los Angeles to Guangzhou.
Yuexiu Mountain
Yuexiu Park, situated in Guangzhou’s downtown core, is its largest comprehensive sight-seeing park. Renowned for its picturesque waterways and hills as well as cultural relics like Five Rams stone sculpture and Zhenhai Tower, Yuexiu is sure to charm visitors from near and far alike.
This park features three artificial lakes and seven mountains, such as Yuejing, Nanxiu and Beixiu Peaks. There are also numerous verdant trees and bamboos flourishing within its environs for visitors to relax under. Visitors may stroll along paved pathways for strolling pleasure.
On Yuexiu Mountain sits Zhenhai Tower, a five-story pagoda constructed during Ming Dynasty 1380 to serve as a watchtower and offer spectacular bird’s eye views of Guangzhou city below. Now home to Guangzhou City Museum with exhibits that recount its 2,000+ year long history through artifacts and exhibits, Zhenhai Tower offers visitors an excellent bird’s eye view of this great metropolis.
Guangzhou’s Five Rams Sculpture has become an icon for commercial logos and slogans, often appearing as part of logos depicting five treasures being carried to earth by mythical rams. If one kisses this statue they are believed to bring about wealth for themselves.
Yuexiu Park offers many activities for visitors to enjoy, from taking a ride on the cable car and viewing breathtaking cliff-top platforms to visiting one of its museums or dining at one of its restaurants.
Yuexiu Park offers visitors an amazing springtime experience, from its fragrant floral scent and melodious birdsong, to accessibility by subway line 2. Visitors should spend at least two or three hours there during their visit, though an in-depth tour package with local experts could make your experience truly comprehensive – everything from accommodation, transport and guides is included plus you will have your very own travel consultant creating a customised itinerary just for your trip – this way making sure it remains memorable and stress-free!
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall
Chen Clan Ancestral Hall stands as a shining example of traditional Chinese architecture and decoration style, having been added to the list of Cultural Relics under State Protection in 1988 and being an iconic landmark of southern Chinese culture for decades. Additionally, this venue serves as an important tourist destination and hub for folk arts performances.
Just before the Qing Dynasty’s collapse between 1890 and 1894, two Cantonese immigrants returned from America named Chen Ruinan and Chen Zhaonan collected money from 72 counties throughout Guangdong to build both a temple for worshipping their ancestors and an academy to prepare themselves for the Confucian imperial examination that could secure them official positions within government.
This complex is symmetrical in design and comprises 19 individual buildings connected by long corridors. Each hall features wood carving, stone carving, brick carving, pottery sculpture, plaster engravings of flowers, birds and Cantonese fruits depicted from traditional dramas as well as long corridors connecting these halls together.
Brick carvings adorning the inner walls of each great hall tell historic tales like Liu Qing taming “Tongque Tai,” as written and published by Zhu Jian in 1612. There are over 40 figures depicted here with distinct facial expressions and poses;
Other brick carvings were featured on platform railings, with four different themes such as Qilin and Phoenix, Dragons & Orbs, Goldfish in Pond and Goujian King of Yue Alliance Alliance carved onto them with intricate iron engravings that are both delicate in structure yet dim in hue, made by hand for exquisite craftsmanship.
Entering Ancestral Hall through its front door provides access to its many treasures: gazebo, stylobate, steps and handrail adorned with various decorative techniques such as plaster art adorn them all; some sculptures even hollowed out from bricks for three-dimensional effects.
Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
Those interested in Lingnan architecture should visit this stunning temple. The intricate carvings and sculptures make the experience all the more amazing; plus it serves as one of Guangzhou’s premier locations for learning about Chinese culture and traditions. Built by the Chen clan in 1984, this popular tourist destination now attracts millions every year.
Guangzhou Temple serves as both a folk art museum and craftworks bazaar, offering a range of traditional craftworks such as embroidery, sculptures and pottery to visitors of all kinds. Plus there are parks and shopping centers to visit while in Guangzhou, not forgetting their delicious food such as Yum Cha – an old tradition where participants drink tea while eating sweet dishes simultaneously for an enjoyable way to relax while taking in local culture!
Guangzhou, situated along Pearl River, offers visitors a vibrant and modern city experience that blends old with new China. Boasting an extensive history and being one of China’s major trade and industrial centers, this ancient metropolis features ancient temples, palaces, skyscrapers, world-class museums and bustling street markets that blend together beautifully.
Guangzhou boasts an array of natural and cultural attractions, making it one of the top travel destinations in China. Renowned for its mouthwatering Cantonese cuisine, ancient temples, and stunning natural scenery, Guangzhou offers visitors much to do and see.
Yuexiu Park is home to the iconic Five Ram Sculpture that has become one of the city’s signature icons and should not be missed during any visit to Guangzhou. Furthermore, as Yuexiu is Guangzhou’s largest park offering leisurely walking opportunities.
Located at the heart of the city, the Temple of Six Banyan Trees was founded in 537 AD as an important Buddhist temple and is commonly referred to as Flower Pagoda for its unique flower shape. Measuring 57 meters high, its nine exterior levels and seven interior halls house three massive brass Buddha statues: Sakyamuni in the center with Amitabha and Maitreya either side – also known as Sakyamuni’s children Amitabha and Maitreya!
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral is the largest cathedral in the Catholic Archdiocese of Guangzhou. Featuring one of the most magnificent twin-tower Gothic architectures in China, construction took 25 years and it remains one of the few cathedrals worldwide with walls and pillars constructed out of granite.
Many consider Guangzhou’s Cathedral of the Sacred Heart or Shishi Catholic church, widely considered the “Notre Dame of East Asia”, to be its “Notre Dame.” Located near Haizhu Square on Yide Road near Haizhu Square and known locally as Shishi Catholic church; the Cathedral was designed and completed over 25 years by Chinese craftsmen from 1863-1888 under French engineering design.
This cathedral is an exquisite combination of Roman Catholic religion and modern Chinese architecture, boasting stunning stained glass windows, high arches and spires and spacious interior. Reminiscent of European cathedrals in design, it also boasts several impressive statues including Mary herself – making this church open and accessible for anyone wishing to learn more about Roman Catholicism.
Visit Sacred Heart Cathedral’s Lady Chapel for another reason to experience its exquisite detail sculpting of Mary and other figures adorning its walls. Only accessible via two doors, its breathtaking interior demonstrates intricate sculptings depicting religious scenes within.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral in Guangzhou is one of China’s most stunning churches and an absolute must-see for any visitor to Guangzhou. The sunset-lit sight at dusk can be truly captivating; while this church also makes for an inspiring spot to attend mass.
To reach the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the most direct way is via metro lines 2 or 6, stopping at Haizhu Square Station and exiting through Exits B1/B2. Alternatively, buses 4, 8, 61, 82, 238 or 823 may also stop near Yide Road station and can take you directly there.