Beihai Park

About Beihai Park

Beihai Park is a public park and former imperial palace in Beijing, China. The park is located in the Xicheng District, to the northwest of the Forbidden City. It covers an area of 69 hectares (170 acres), and is the oldest and most complete imperial garden in Beijing. The park was first built in the 11th century, and was used by the Liao and Jin dynasties. It was extensively renovated and expanded by the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The park was the site of the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Most of the park's current layout was designed by the Ming dynasty court architect Liu Beihong (劉北宏) in the 1930s. Beihai Park is divided into two parts: the "Northern Sea" and the "Southern Sea". The "Northern Sea" is a man-made lake that occupies most of the park's area. The "Southern Sea" is a smaller lake in the southeastern corner of the park. The park is home to a large number of trees and flowers. There are more than 1,000 varieties of trees and plants in the park, including more than 100 species of rare trees and plants. The park is a popular tourist destination, and is home to the Beijing Zoo and the Beijing Aquarium.