After the Taiping took over Nanjing, they built the Mansion of the Heavenly King (天王府, Tiānwáng Fǔ) on the foundations of a former Ming-dynasty palace. This magnificent palace did not survive the fall of the Taiping, but there is a reconstruction and a classical Ming garden, now known as the Presidential Palace. Other buildings on the site were used briefly as presidential offices by Sun Yatsen’s government in 1912 and by the Kuomintang from 1927 to 1949.
Presidential Palace
Nanjing
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
4.18 MILES
This expansive temple complex contains one of the most historic buildings in Nanjing – the Beamless Hall (无梁殿, Wúliáng Diàn), built in 1381 entirely out…
3.54 MILES
An astonishing sight at the top of an enormous stone stairway (a breathless 392 steps), Sun Yatsen's tomb is a mandatory stop for most visitors…
1.64 MILES
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2.68 MILES
Zhu Yuanzhang (1328–1398), the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty (also known as the Hongwu Emperor), was buried in the tomb of Ming Xiaoling; he was…
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12.1 MILES
This sacred site on Qixia Mountain (栖霞山, Qīxiá Shān), 22km northeast of Nanjing, was founded by the Buddhist monk Ming Sengshao during the Southern Qi…
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Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders
3.04 MILES
In the city’s southwestern suburbs, the disturbing exhibits in the Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre document the atrocities committed by Japanese…
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1.66 MILES
If you don't have time to get to Suzhou, visit this delightful Ming-dynasty garden complex that once housed Taiping officials. The on-site Taiping History…
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3.08 MILES
This scenic area on Zijin Mountain has loads of opportunities for rambling, but the main attraction is Ming Xiaoling Tomb, the magnificent mausoleum of…
Nearby Nanjing attractions
1.25 MILES
Built by Zhu Yuanzhang in the 14th century, the imperial palace was reportedly a magnificent structure that served as a template for Beijing's Forbidden…
1.25 MILES
Peaceful but maudlin Wuchaomen Park is home to the Ming Palace Ruins, and usually filled with locals practising ballroom dancing while saxophonists,…
1.27 MILES
This delightfully historic campus is worth a stroll to appreciate its traditional architecture, lovely trees and green spaces.
1.32 MILES
This underrated park, just south of Xuanwu Lake, has a peaceful world-away feel and a delightful array of statues dotted around its leafy hills. The park…
1.38 MILES
The most active temple in Nanjing, Jiming Temple was first built in AD 527 during the Three Kingdoms period and has been rebuilt many times since.
1.38 MILES
One of the original 13 Ming city gates, which allows access to the walls.
7. Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall
1.54 MILES
The north section (北馆; ¥40) of this extensive subterranean museum, marked by the stunning reflection pool on Gongyuan Jie, has contemporary displays on…
1.6 MILES
In the south of the city in a smartened-up pedestrian zone full of restaurants, the Confucian temple Fūzǐ Miào has been a centre of Confucian study for…