When Marco Polo visited Hangzhou he said “beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world.”, and when Ibn Battuta visited this city in the 13 century he said it’s the largest city he has ever seen. We hear so often about Shanghai and how impressive it is, but much of the rich Chinese culture is buried with all the modern architecture; it feels more like Toronto or New York. In Hangzhou, the modernity and the tradition are obvious and are both beautiful.
What gives Hangzhou its special beauty is the West Lake (or in Chinese; Xihu). The lake is located right in the center of Hangzhou and it covers 60 Square Kilometer. There are 2 causeways that go across the lake and one of them was built around 772 AC, it just made me think that China and this city has been advanced for so long and it shows the great and rich Chinese culture and architecture. Hangzhou was at one point one of the eight ancient capitals of china, and although at one point it used to be the largest city in the world with a population 1 million, today it has around 7 million, a lot less than Shanghai or Beijing.
Few monuments, temples and pavilions were constructed around the lake throughout the different dynasties and they are all well preserved. Hangzhou city is very well managed, very similar to what I’ve seen in a North American city, the streets and sidewalks are very clean, public bicycles are available and the streets are marked and have designated bike lanes.
Around the lake you can find fine restaurants and shops and they’re located in a way that leaves a wide space from the lake to allow people to walk and practice some sport activities. I walked on the weekend at 7 AM and I saw so many people practicing a sport activity, TaiChi, dancing or just taking a stroll, and it was a very nice scene.
There’s also a fountain on the north edge of the lake where they place a themed music show throughout the day and at night. It’s no surprise that many foreigners come to visit this city because it’s a must for anyone who comes to visit China.
