Built in 1924 and covering an area of 40 mu (about 2.67 hectares), Tianxin Pavilion Scenic Spot is located at the center of Changsha city proper. It is known as the first garden in Changsha built to preserve the former site of ancient city wall and the ancient Tianxin Pavilion which is one of the famous pavilions with high historic and cultural significance in China. Now the scenic area is included in the list of national 4A level scenic spots.

Originally built in the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 BC-220 AD), the ancient city wall is 2,200 years old. In 1372, its earthen walls was reconstructed into brick ones on stone foundation. The 8.8-kilometer-long wall encompassed the downtown area of Changsha in the shape of rectangle. Now the extant ancient city wall is 251 meters in length and 13.4 meters in height. Barbican entrances to the city on south and north sides are elaborately equipped with cannon-cave, secret passage and warehouse inside, which makes the city wall easy to defend but hard to conquer and thus a place of great military importance. It is now of great value in ancient city defense research.

Located above the city wall, the over-500-year-old Tianxin Pavilion is a landmark in Changsha. The pavilion and the city wall enjoy a reputation of the Ancient Pavilion of Xiaoxiang and Famous City Wall of the Qin and Han Dynasties respectively. The three-storey main pavilion is 14.6 meters in height, with two 10-meter-high assisted pavilions respectively standing in south and north connected by veranda. Tianxin Pavilion is a typical garden architecture in south China of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1644).

Admission fee: free entry but 32 yuan/adult for visiting Tianxin Pavilion

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn

Updated on May 30

Xixiang Park of Tianxin Pavilion Opens to the Public

Photo taken on May 29 shows the newly-built Xixiang Park of Tianxin Pavilion, Tianxin District, Changsha. In recent years the district has vigorously upgraded its historical and cultural areas to recreate an ancient town of the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China near Tianxin Pavilion (Gaozheng Street).