Kaifeng's most iconic landmark is a magnificent 11th-century Iron Pagoda (55m tall) at the centre of a pleasant park. The gorgeous, glazed-brick edifice, named for its rust-coloured tiles, is the oldest and tallest of its kind in China. You can climb its narrow stairs for an additional ¥35. Take bus 1 from Zhongshan Lu; alternatively, a taxi will cost ¥10.
Iron Pagoda Park
Henan
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1.99 MILES
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Dedicated to the Southern Song military hero Yue Fei, this temple was first founded in 1478. The weatherbeaten temple hasn't seen much restoration, and…
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Built in 1379, Kaifeng's drum tower was originally located west of here and this site belonged to the bell tower. In the late Ming dynasty, a sickly…
Nearby Henan attractions
1.38 MILES
Site of the former imperial palace, this park is mostly gardens and a lake, into which hardy swimmers plunge in winter. Reached by a bridge, you can climb…
1.6 MILES
This tiny, elaborately styled guild hall was built as a lodging and meeting place during the Qing dynasty by an association of merchants from Shanxi (山西),…
1.73 MILES
Built in 1379, Kaifeng's drum tower was originally located west of here and this site belonged to the bell tower. In the late Ming dynasty, a sickly…
4. Temple of the Chief Minister
1.99 MILES
First founded in AD 555, this frequently rebuilt temple vanished along with Kaifeng in the early 1640s, when rebels breached the Yellow River’s dykes…
2.27 MILES
This reconstructed site of the government offices of the Northern Song has daily theatricals commencing outside the gates – the doors are thrown open and…
2.87 MILES
Kaifeng is ringed by a relatively intact, much-restored Qing dynasty wall, which you can climb up at various points. There's precious little to see from…
3.17 MILES
This stumpy pagoda from 974 is the oldest Buddhist structure in Kaifeng and was originally a nine-storey hexagonal building, typical of the Northern Song…
6.68 MILES
Housed in a colossal fortress 10km west of town, the Kaifeng Museum contains a modest collection of archaeological finds, woodblock prints and historical…