佛香阁 — Attraction in Beijing

The Tower of Buddhist Incense is the image that comes to mind when anyone thinks of the Summer Palace, and for good reason. This tower is built on the edge of a tall hill overlooking Kunming Lake and it stands out more than any other structure at the Summer Palace, both in terms of prominence and beauty. The views of Kunming Lake, the rest of the palace grounds, and the surrounding mountains are about as good as you can get in Beijing. This is not part of the basic ticket, but you can either pay 10 kuai at the entrance to this site to get it, or purchase the combination ticket which allows you to access Suzhou Lake, the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, and a few other cool sites throughout the palace. Either way, if you can only see one thing at the Summer Palace, this has to be it. It is worth the price of admission...

This is the iconic building in the Summer Place, for its location and the height, as well as history. Unlike many buildings within the Summer palace that are fading away, it is restored with the original splendid colors. Needless to say the architecture itself is beautiful, given that this is the religious building for the Qing empress to pray. Definitely worth a visit, especially like many others said, the panoramic view on top is worth the visit. Down side? Separate entrance fees and need...

A beautifully sited and very well laid out palace with a number of other beautiful buildings very Chinese architecture. The palace is located at a high ground and dominates the surroundings thus giving a very pleasant view of the area. The lake and the longest painted covered corridors are the other attractions. Location present a number of views from different angles and each is different from the other. I loved photographing here with...