This is the signature structure standing proud above Pingyao, the tallest building in the old town – snap a photo before passing under it en route to other sites. Sadly, you can no longer climb it for city views as a gate bars its stone steps. An antiques vendor works in the shop next to the tower.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.47 MILES
This fascinating Buddhist temple houses many incredibly rare, sublimely carved Tang, Song and Yuan painted statues. Rebuilt in 1571, it’s a mesmerising…
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0.56 MILES
A good place to start your Pingyao experience is the magnificent city walls; they date from 1370 and are among the most complete in the nation. At 10m…
25.33 MILES
With vertiginous and dizzying cliffs alongside a deep gorge, this astonishing mountain area is a splendid day trip from Pingyao. Lined with precariously…
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20.09 MILES
This 18th-century complex of courtyards covering 24,000 sq m is a fine example of a traditional private residence in China. Once home to a celebrated…
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27.03 MILES
More castle than cosy home, this grand Qing dynasty former merchant's residence has been very well maintained (note the wooden galleries fronting many of…
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7.9 MILES
While not as famous as Shuanglin Temple, Zhenguo Temple also houses a magnificent collection of old halls and ancient statues. Don't miss the still-living…
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0.28 MILES
Within the venerable halls of this astonishing temple, first raised in the Song dynasty, are some intriguing frescoes, including the hall at the very rear…
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0.36 MILES
An abandoned diesel engine factory is now a cinema-restaurant-souvenir shop complex, and the venue of the Pingyao International Film Festival. There's an…
Nearby attractions
0.01 MILES
First established in 1856, this former bank had underground vaults protected by live-in guards. After checking out the courtyard displays, descend into…
2. Rishengchang Financial House Museum
0.12 MILES
Not to be missed, this museum began life as a humble dye shop in the late 18th century before its tremendous success as a business saw it transform into…
0.21 MILES
By the police station, this is one of Pingyao's socialist-era buildings, home to a fire engine small enough to service the narrow streets of the town. You…
0.26 MILES
This incongruously socialist-era concrete building houses one of the last operating cinemas from the 1960s in China. The building has recently been…
0.28 MILES
Within the venerable halls of this astonishing temple, first raised in the Song dynasty, are some intriguing frescoes, including the hall at the very rear…
0.31 MILES
This graceful 10-hall Taoist temple at the end of Dong Dajie dates to the Tang dynasty. The most valuable relics here are the stone carvings and the stone…
0.36 MILES
Located close to the Confucius Temple is this magnificent glazed-tile screen wall featuring reliefs of nine different Chinese dragons. It was originally…
0.36 MILES
Pingyao’s oldest surviving building is Dacheng Hall (大成殿, Dàchéng Diàn), dating from 1163. It can be found in the Confucius Temple, a huge complex where…