Why go
The contrast between the open garden and the former densely built settlement gives this park its particular interest. Paths, pavilions and themed gardens now surround surviving traces of the earlier site. The Yamen, built in 1847 as an administrative building, provides a tangible starting point for understanding the changes around it.
What to look for
- Restored Yamen from the Qing military settlement
- Jiangnan-style garden landscapes and pavilions
- Old South Gate remains
The full story
The site began as a Qing military settlement in the nineteenth century. The Yamen held administrative offices, while stone walls enclosed soldiers and their families. Those walls were dismantled during the Second World War, but the administrative building survived. Its brickwork, granite column bases and tiled roof offer a physical connection to this earlier period. After the war, the Walled City developed into a densely built neighbourhood containing homes and small factories. Demolition began in 1993, and the land became a park in 1995. The present garden therefore represents a deliberate transformation of the site rather than a preserved version of the later settlement. Looking at the Yamen and South Gate remains before exploring the garden helps distinguish the structures that survived from the landscape created around them.
Useful to know
- Allow about 75 minutes for the gardens and historical features.
- Check the separate arrangements for the Cinematic Journey exhibition; park access alone does not ensure entry.
Your next visit
Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.
Outdoor visit · 45–75 min
World planning estimate; admission, opening, visit duration and access need checking.