Landmark Buildings of 34 Provincial Capitals in China (Ⅲ)

03,2009 Editor:AT0086.com| Resource:AT0086.com

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Yunnan-Kunming: East Temple Tower
Located on Shulin Street of Kunming City, East Temple Tower is an ancient tower of 1,100 years’ history, being one of oldest cultural relics in Kunming. The tower is 40.57 meters, with four copper birds on the top of tower called golden chickens, so it is also reputed as “Golden Chicken Tower”. It is said that when the wind blows, the four chickens yield the beautiful sound, making the tower more mysterious. Due to its slim incline, it is also called “Leaning Tower of Pisa of Kunming”.
 
Tibet-Lhasa: Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. It was named after Mount Potala, the abode of Chenresig or Avalokitesvara. It is an immense structure, its interior space being in excess of 130,000 square meters. Fulfilling numerous functions, the Potala was first and foremost the residence of the Dalai Lama and his large staff. In addition, it was the seat of Tibetan government, where all ceremonies of state were held; and it was one of Tibet's major pilgrimage destinations because of the tombs of past Dalai Lamas. The Potala's most venerated statue, the Arya Lokeshvara, is housed inside the Phapka Lhakhang, and it draws thousands of Tibetan pilgrims each day.
 
Shaanxi-Xi’an: Bell Tower
The Bell Tower in Xi'an is situated in the very heart of the city and at the junction of four main roads. The original city Bell Tower was situated to the west of this site and the present construction was built in 1582 and restored in 1739. There is a huge bell hanging on the roof of the tower which was traditionally used to tell the time by and there are other, smaller bells on exhibit in the tower too.
 
Gansu-Lanzhou: Zhongshan Bridge
Zhongshan Bridge, also called the first bridge over the Yellow River, lies at the foot of Bai Ta Mountain and in front of Jin Cheng Pass in Lanzhou city, the capital of Gansu Province. In the year 1907, the Qing Government began to build this first iron bridge over the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The bridge was completed in two years, and in 1942, to commemorate Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the bridge was named Zhongshan Bridge (Zhongshan is the Chinese name of Dr. Sun Yat-sen). The Zhongshan Bridge will be remembered forever as a piece of history and a cultural relic, for none can replace its great value in history or its great work over its 80 years.
 
Qinghai-Xining: Dongguan Grand Mosque
Dongguan Grand Mosque was built during the reign (1368-1398) of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming (1368-1644) Dynasty. It thus has a history of more than 600 years. The mosque, which faces east, covers a total area of 13,602 square meters, its eclectic construction style blending features of traditional Chinese architecture and medieval Islamic architecture with other international architectural influences. The mosque, destroyed in the ravages of war, was re-created in the late 19th cenury, renovated in 1914, enlarged in 1946, and finally revamped in 1998.
 
Ningxia-Yinchuan: Drum Tower
Located on the crossroad of Jiefang East Street and Gulou South and North Street, the Drum Tower is also called "Sigulou”. With height of 36 meters, covering 576 km, it is made of bricks and stones. Built in 1821, it is an ancient building of great revolutionary significance. In 1926, the first China Party’s organization in Ningxia was set up in the Northeast part of the drum tower. The elegant design and magnificent structure make it a landmark of Yinchuan City.
 
Xinjiang-Urumqi: International Grand Bazaar
Grand Bazaar is a place of interest in Xinjiang. With a total area of 100,000 square meters, it is the largest bazaar in the world. The Grand Bazaar focuses on peculiar features, transcendental posture and stands proudly in people-to-people trading activities. It is a window leading Xinjiang to the world and a door towards tourism and trade. Of traditional Moslem style, it always hangs thick ethical elegance. The buildings with distinctive ethical and folk features, such as No.1 Sightseeing Tower, Erdaoqiao Mosque, Banquet-Performance Grand Theatre, Merry Square, Sunny Pedestrian Street, emit holy lightness of human wisdom and always makes you forget to return.
 
Hong Kong: Bank of China Tower
The Bank of China Tower (abbreviated BOC Tower) is one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in Central part of Hong Kong. It houses the headquarters for the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. The building is 305 m high with two masts reaching 367.4 m high. It was the tallest building in Hong Kong and Asia from 1989 to 1992, and it was the first building outside the United States to break the 305 m mark. It is now the third tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong, after Two International Finance Centre and Central Plaza.
 
Macau: Ruins of St. Paul
The Ruins of St. Paul stands adjacent to the famous Mount Fortress and Macau Museum. The front façade and the grand stone stairs are the only remains of the greatest church in Macau. It is worth mentioning that the stone lions at the sides of the third and fourth tiers are distinctively Chinese. There are also bas-reliefs in designs of chrysanthemum and cherry, as well as Chinese inscriptions. The surviving façade has long been acknowledged as a perfect fusion of western and eastern cultures.
 
Taiwan: Taipei Grand Hotel
The Grand Hotel, completed in 1973, is a landmark located atop a hill overlooking Taipei City, Taiwan, china. It is owned by the Duen-Mou Foundation of Taiwan, a non-profit organization, and has played host to many foreign dignitaries that have visited Taipei. After Chiang Kai-shek's retreat to Taiwan in 1949, Chiang felt it was difficult to accommodate foreign ambassadors, as there weren't any five-star hotels in Taipei. Thus, he wanted to build an extravagant hotel to treat foreign guests. The hotel was established in the May of 1952, but it was expanded several times before it became the landmark as it is known today.

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