Today I am going to talk about The Summer Palace. This is a well-known tourist attraction in China. Firstly I will talk about scenic spots in The Summer Palace. Secondly I will talk about its history. Thirdly I will talk about why it is important in China. Fourthly I will tell you how to get there.
First of all, The Summer Palace is located in the northwest suburb in Beijing, which is the capital of China. It is a very big park! Does anyone know how big is it? Well, The Summer Palace occupies an area of 304 hectares. It features hilly and water scenery. There are more than 3000 buildings and 1600 kinds of trees and plants in it. One of the major spots is Longevity Hill, which is in the centre of the park. This hill is 60 meters high and is surrounded by a big lake called Kunming Lake. Which occupies 3 quarters of the park. Kunming Lake is divided into 3 sections by bridges and every section has a little island on it. Every island has different buildings. The most beautiful bridge is 17-Arch Bridge, it is 8 meters wide and 150 meters long and has over 500 lion carvings on it. The major building on Longevity Hill is the Foxiang Tower. This tower is 41 meters high and has 3 stories. It is decorated with glazed tiles. The Long Corridor running along the side of the lake is 800 meters long and has more than 8000 paintings on it. The Marble Boat is at the end of the Long Corridor by the bank of the Kunming Lake. This is 36 meters long and is 2 stories high. It is all made of marble.
Next I’d like to tell you a little bit of history about The Summer Palace. It was first built in 1750 and completed in 1764. In 1860 it was burned down by Anglo-French Allies and but it was rebuilt in 1886. The Summer Palace was opened to the public in 1924 and was added to the World Cultural Heritage list in 1998.
My third point is about The Summer Palace’s importance. The Summer Palace is an important place for China. Why is it important? It is because it is the largest imperial garden in China and it is a fantastic attraction for tourists. You can see how the kings and queens lived in olden days. It was the important political center of the Qin Dynasty (1644-1911). The Kings and Queens spent lots of time in it to avoid the heat from summer. You can see lots of old buildings, which are totally different from modern buildings. And also you can see heaps of amazing antiques.
Finally it is time to talk about the trip. Can anybody tell me how to get to The Summer Palace? Well! It is very easy! All you need to do is fly to Beijing. It costs just about Aus$1500 for a return ticket, and then you can catch a taxi there. The taxi won’t cost you much, because it is just a short way to go, about 12km from the center of Beijing. The entrance to The Summer Palace costs Aus$5 for per person. It is very cheap, isn’t it?
Well, that brings me to the end of my presentation, and now you can know a bit about The Summer Palace. You will agree it is a very good place to visit. Why not visit it one day if at anytime you go to Beijing?
