Reading the Summer Palace map
The Summer Palace covers 290 hectares with Kunming Lake taking ~75% of the area in the south and Longevity Hill rising 60m in the north. Three open gates: East Gate (historic main entrance, lake-side), Beigongmen (north, Line 4 subway-friendly), New Palace Gate (south, less used). Major landmarks: Long Corridor (728m, runs east-west along the north shore of Kunming Lake at the base of Longevity Hill), Tower of Buddhist Incense (top of Longevity Hill, the iconic photo), Hall of Dispelling Clouds (mid-hill), Pai-yun Gate (foot of hill), Marble Boat (north-west, by the lake), Suzhou Street (north side of the hill), Seventeen-Arch Bridge (south-east, connects to South Lake Island).
- Drive time from Beijing: Northwest Beijing — about 30–45 minutes from central Beijing (subway or taxi)
- Typical visit style: Reading: 5 min; walking the map: 2-3 hr
- Difficulty: Easy navigation once you know hill-north, lake-south
- Crowds: Long Corridor + Tower of Buddhist Incense densest
- Best for: Visitors planning the route in advance; Anyone confused by the gate / landmark spread
- Less ideal for: Travellers already familiar with the layout
Summer Palace visitor map
Summer Palace orientation (photo reference)
Click to enlargeKey map points
| Point | Location | On a 3 hr visit? |
|---|---|---|
| East Gate (main) | East side, lake level | Entry (default) |
| Beigongmen | North side, behind Longevity Hill | Entry (subway-friendly) |
| New Palace Gate | South side | Optional / less used |
| Long Corridor (Changlang) | North shore of Kunming Lake | Yes - the walking spine |
| Pai-yun Gate | Foot of Longevity Hill | Yes |
| Hall of Dispelling Clouds | Mid Longevity Hill | Yes |
| Tower of Buddhist Incense | Top of Longevity Hill | Yes - icon |
| Marble Boat | North-west, lake-side | On 4-5 hr deep route |
| Suzhou Street | North side of Longevity Hill (back) | Yes on route 1, optional on route 2 |
| Kunming Lake | South ~75% of park | Yes - boat or walk |
| 17-Arch Bridge | South-east, to South Lake Island | Boat dock destination |
| West Causeway | West side of lake | Optional 4-5 hr deep route |
Where the major landmarks are
Long Corridor: east-west along the north shore of the lake; the walking spine. Tower of Buddhist Incense: top of Longevity Hill, directly north of the lake centre; the iconic photo. Hall of Dispelling Clouds: mid-hill, on the central north-south axis. Pai-yun Gate: foot of the hill, just north of Long Corridor mid-point. Marble Boat: north-west corner, on the lake. Suzhou Street: tucked behind Longevity Hill on the north side. 17-Arch Bridge: south-east, connects East Causeway to South Lake Island.
- Long Corridor: walking spine.
- Tower of Buddhist Incense: top of hill, icon.
- Hall of Dispelling Clouds: mid-hill.
- Marble Boat: NW lake.
- Suzhou Street: behind hill on north.
- 17-Arch Bridge: SE to South Lake Island.
Which gate matches my route
Three gates. Beigongmen (north, behind Longevity Hill) is the Line 4 subway exit; entry here means you descend the hill from the back, hit Suzhou Street first, then Longevity Hill structures, then Long Corridor and the lake. East Gate (historic main entrance, east side of the lake) is the taxi default; entry here means you walk Long Corridor first, then climb the hill, then optionally descend to Suzhou Street and exit Beigongmen. New Palace Gate (south) is rarely used unless your hotel is south-west.
- Beigongmen: subway, enter at the back, walk south to lake.
- East Gate: taxi, enter at the lake, walk north up the hill.
- New Palace: south, rarely used.
- Match gate to transport mode.
Which gate matches my route
Three gates. Beigongmen (north, behind Longevity Hill) is the Line 4 subway exit; entry here means you descend the hill from the back, hit Suzhou Street first, then Longevity Hill structures, then Long Corridor and the lake. East Gate (historic main entrance, east side of the lake) is the taxi default; entry here means you walk Long Corridor first, then climb the hill, then optionally descend to Suzhou Street and exit Beigongmen. New Palace Gate (south) is rarely used unless your hotel is south-west.
- Beigongmen: subway, enter at the back, walk south to lake.
- East Gate: taxi, enter at the lake, walk north up the hill.
- New Palace: south, rarely used.
- Match gate to transport mode.
Common map-reading mistakes
Trying to walk the full lake loop
Kunming Lake circumference is 7-8 km. Take the boat or skip the loop.
Looking for everything on the central axis
Unlike the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace is east-west on its main spine (Long Corridor), with the north-south climb being just the hill section.
Skipping West Causeway thinking it's far
It's a peaceful, less-crowded loop - 30-45 min adds depth on a 4-5 hr deep visit.
Treating Tower of Buddhist Incense as a building you can climb to the top
It's an open 3-tier tower, visible from many angles. You can climb its base steps but it's mostly a viewpoint.
Summer Palace map FAQ
- Longevity Hill in the north (60m, all major structures), Kunming Lake in the south (~75% of the complex, 2.2 km^2). Long Corridor (728m) runs east-west along the boundary.
- 290 hectares total, four times the Forbidden City.
- East (main, by lake), Beigongmen (north, by subway), New Palace (south, rarely used).
- Yes - at every gate ticket window, free. Includes the Chinese names and the route arrows.
- The major walking spine (Long Corridor) is east-west. The cosmological axis is north-south (hill to lake), expressed in the Pai-yun Gate → Hall of Dispelling Clouds → Tower of Buddhist Incense climb.
- Six+ junctions: each gate (East, Beigongmen, New Palace), Long Corridor mid-point, Suzhou Street, base of Longevity Hill.
Walk the map with a guide
Our private Summer Palace day starts with a 5-minute map orientation at the gate so you understand the hill-and-lake split before walking.
If you want a detailed on-site route, the route guide covers the three named options.
