If the traces of Guangzhou history can be found in the old central axis, then the future of Guangzhou can be seen in the new axis. In this new central axis that stretches from Guangzhou East Railway Station to Tianhe Sports Center, from Zhujiang New Town to Huacheng Square and Haixinsha, you will marvel at the beauty, prosperity and advancement of this first-tier city in China. You will also get a better picture of why Guangzhou is called "a city saloon".
See the following for details about great places to see on the new central axis:
● Canton Tower
● Haixinsha
● Huacheng Square
● Guangzhou New Library
● Guangdong Museum
● Guangzhou Opera House
● Guangzhou No.2 Children's Palace
● Waterfall scene of Guangzhou East Railway Square and CITIC Plaza
● Tianhe Sports Center
The Chigang Pagoda, which rises more than fifty meters near the Pearl River, could have never imagined that 380 years later, another tower more than 400 meters taller, would emerge in a spot closer to the Pearl River and providing a much wider view. This new tower has made its way to every tourist's camera and mobile phone, becoming the new totem of Guangzhou as a popular destination for tourists. This tower has a humble but perpetual name – "Canton Tower".
The Canton Tower is the world's tallest free-standing television tower, boasting an overall height of 600 meters, with a 450-meter-tall tower body and a 150-meter-tall antenna.
Looking north from the Canton Tower, visitors will find that the mountains on the northern suburbs of the city are exactly what was described by Qing-dynasty historian Qiu Juchuan in his book "Ancient Records of the City of Rams" – "The Baiyun Mountain, the top mountain in Nanyue Kingdom, stretches from Dayu to Sancheng, dotted by more than thirty peaks, all of which are familiar names." The mountains tapered off from the northern suburbs of the city to merge with the alluvia plain of the Pearl River. The CITIC Plaza Building on the axis resembles a fluttering bird headed to the due north. The Huacheng Square is like a treasured vase drawing in auspicious essence from all directions. The western one of the Crystal Towers, West Tower, stands erect on the western side of the square. The new facility for the Guangzhou Library, dubbed "a beautiful book"; the new facility for the Guangdong Museum, whose physical shapes are reminiscent of the two Chinese characters for "Guangdong"; and the Guangzhou Opera House, shaped like "two round boulders", are pointing to Haixinsha, a "mammoth ship" ready to sail out, and to the soaring Canton Tower, through the directional arrows on the square.
Since the commencement of its construction on November 25, 2005, the Canton Tower has been attracting much attention from the public. Many residents contributed their suggestions of a name for the tower. Through scientific tallying and integrated analysis, the Academy of Sciences eventually decided on the name "Canton Tower". A launch ceremony was held for the tower on September 29, 2010, following by all-lights-on ceremony on the next day. The tower was officially opened to the public on October 1, 2010.
>> Learn more about Canton Tower
After the opening ceremony of the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, Haixinsha, this originally little known island has seen its reputation skyrocket. Moreover, it is a place where Guangzhou's past meets its future. As Guangzhou's old axis, the Pearl River runs through Haixinsha, giving the island a historic touch. Signaling Guangzhou's future prosperity, the new axis extends all the way from south to north, with Haixinsha as its central point.
To the north of Haixinsha Stadium lies the central business district (CBD) of Zhujiang New Town. To its south sits Canton Tower. Covering a total area of 176,000 square meters, the stadium boasts a seating capacity of 40,000 people. It is a perfect stadium for cultural, entertainment and ceremonial events.
Basking in glaring light, Haixinsha presents a spectacular view at night. If you take a tour around Haixinsha, you will be mesmerized by the towering city skyline on both sides of the Pearl River. In the meanwhile, large fountain shows in the island are surely to take your breath away.
Walking out of Haixinsha, you can take a stroll to Huacheng Square of Zhujiang New Town along Huaxia Lu. As the largest underground space in the world, the square features a network of underground passages that lead to its periphery commercial districts. A variety of recreational and leisure services can be found here. Standing in the square, you will marvel at the mind-numbing height of Canton Tower, the highest tower in the world. The magnificent Guangzhou West Tower and Guangdong Museum are two new highlights of the new Guangzhou axis.
※ Ticket Prices:
1. There are two types of tickets, night tickets and day tickets. The dividing line is set at 18:00. The night ticket is priced at 30 yuan, while the day ticket is priced at 20 yuan.
2. Children under 1.2 meters tall can enter the stadium, free of charge. Children with a height between 1.2 and 1.5 meters can enjoy a 50% discount.
3. Senior citizens aged above 65 can enjoy free access to the stadium. Senior citizens aged between 60 and 64 can enjoy a 50% discount.
4. Primary and middle school students can have a 20% discount.
5. Discounts are offered in national holidays.
? If fatigue sets in, walk northward to Liuyun Community for a cup of coffee. Located on the south side of Grandview Plaza and Teem Plaza, Liuyun Community is a fifteen-year-old residential neighborhood. In close proximity to the commercial circle of Tianhe, the community is home to a variety of distinctive shops.
※ Transportation:
Take Metro Line 3 to Zhujiang New Town. Take Exit B1 and walk about one kilometer; take the APM line to Metro Opera House Station. Walk 450 meters and you will reach Haixinsha Square.
Located in Zhujiang New Town, Huacheng Square, the largest public square in Guangzhou, covers a total area of 560,000 square meters and is regarded as "the new living room of the city". Home to a man-made lake, a large fountain and a light square, Huacheng Square is equipped with a cold-fog cooling system and planted with some 600 trees. At the northern tip of the square sit five flower islands, three of which are cherry islands while the other two are peach blossom islands. Planted with willow trees and a variety of flowers, these five islands present enchanting natural surroundings and are a testimony to Guangzhou's reputation as a city of flowers. Huacheng Square will be developed into the largest flower exhibition venue of Guangzhou, which features the most varieties of flowers.
Apart from picturesque surroundings and countless trees, Huacheng Square also boasts excellent geographical conditions and an attractive cultural environment. Located in close proximity to the new CBD in Zhujiang New Town, Huacheng Square is surrounded by financial institutions and company headquarters and is within walking distance from such cultural landmark buildings as Guangzhou Grand Theater, Guangzhou City Library and Guangdong Provincial Museum. After taking a mind-refreshing walk around City Flower Square, you can pay a visit to Guangdong Provincial Museum to increase your knowledge of Cantonese customs and ritual.
It is certainly worth your time to visit Huacheng Square at night. Standing on the water platform in the central garden of the square and watching the reflections of trees and light in water, you may have an evasive feeling of dreaming. Walking along the Pearl River, you will be greeted by an endless stream of pedestrians. Shrouded in glaring light, the square adds radiance to Canton Tower (also known as "Slim Waist"), presenting a beautiful scene without equal.
? If fatigue sets in, walk northward to Liuyun Community for a cup of coffee. Located on the south side of Grandview Plaza and Teem Plaza, Liuyun Community is a fifteen-year-old residential neighborhood. In close proximity to the commercial circle of Tianhe, the community is home to a variety of distinctive shops.
※ Transportation:
· Metro: Take Metro Line 5 to Zhujiang New Town:
(1) Between 7:30 am and 21:30 from Monday to Friday: you can exit the station through R&F International Center. After exiting the station, turn left, walk five minutes in the direction of Guangzhou Grand Theater and your will reach Huacheng Square.
(2) From Saturday to Sunday: Exit the station through Exit B1. Walk 150 meters straight, cross the zebra line (No traffic lights, so pay attention to passing vehicles) and walk straight for about 15 minutes.
Located in Wenhua (Culture) Square of Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou New Library constitutes one of the four landmark buildings of Guangzhou new axis (the other three buildings being Guangdong Museum, Guangzhou Opera House and Guangzhou No.2 Children's Palace).
Guangzhou New Library covers an area of 21,000 square meters, 5,000 square meters larger than the old library. Its collection of books amounts to four million volumes, twice as many as that of the old library. Its overall floorage reaches 98,000 square meters, making it five times larger than the old one in this regard. A total of 840 million yuan has been invested in the new library, which is equipped with 6,110 seats and 2,520 information stands. The library is expected to receive some 10,000 readers on a daily basis and even 15,000 readers during peak hours.
P.S The new library has not yet to be opened.
※ Transportation:
· Metro: Take Metro Line 3 and get off at Zhujiang New Town Station. Take Exit A.
· Bus: Take any bus line that leads to Huacheng Lukou Station
One will marvel at the endless stream of historic treasures preserved in Guangdong Museum. A total of some 23,000 ancient porcelains and 6,000 ancient paintings are well preserved in three sections of the museum, namely, "Art Episode", "History Episode" and "Nature Episode". No wonder it is said that one can get a holistic picture of Guangdong's customs and culture in Guangdong Museum.
※ Ticket Price: Free of Charge
※ Opening Hours:
opened form 9:00 am to 17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays unless during statutory holidays or in special circumstance.
※ The number of visitors for each day is limited within 5,000.
※ Transportation:
Take Metro Line 3 and get off at Zhujiang New Town. Or take Line 5 and get off at Liede Station or Zhujiang New Town.
※ Website: www.gdmuseum.com
As the sole national theater in South China, Guangzhou Opera House is one of the three most famous theaters in China, an equal to Beijing Grand Theater and Shanghai Grand Theater. Guangdong Provincial Museum and Guangzhou Grand Theater stand respectively on the right and left sides of Huacheng Square, giving the civic square a profound cultural touch.
※ Transportation:
· Metro: Take Metro Line 3 or Line 5 to Zhujiang New Town. Take Exit B1 and walk about 100 meters southwards and you will reach Guangzhou Opera House.
· Bus: Take No. 40 Bus or No. 407 Bus and get off at the Guangzhou Government Affairs Center Station. Walk 100 meters southwards and you will reach the theater.
· Bus: Take Express Line 11, Line 138 or Line 44 and get off at Huasui Lu Station. Walk about five minutes and you will get to the theater.
※ Website: www.gzdjy.org
● Guangzhou No.2 Children's Palace
Guangzhou No.2 Children's Palace is located in the southern section of Zhujiang New Town. The palace boasts about 90 multi-functional classrooms for foreign language learning, computer learning, art, calligraphy, chorus, musical instrument learning and dancing. It is equipped with large exhibition halls, galleries and studios for musical instrument playing, chorus and dancing. There are also seven conference rooms for international exchanges and a state-of-the-art performance center that has a holding capacity of 700 people.
Given that children are of a restless nature, the palace has set up a number of facilities for outdoor activities, including Red Scarf Square, Cultural and Ecological Square, a waiting area for parents and Ecological Square for outdoor exercises. Ecological Square is combined with City Cultural Square to form 10,000-square-meter open space, which is the center of the No.2 Children's Palace.
※ Address:
No.273, Huajiu Lu, Zhujiang New Town
※ Transportation:
· Metro: take Metro Line 3 to Zhujiang New Town and take Exit B. After exiting the station, please cross Huaxia Lu. The No.2 Children's Palace stands in front of the R&F Center and West Tower and on the left side of KWG International Financial Center.
· Bus: take No. 40 Bus or No. 407 Bus and get off at the Guangzhou Government Affairs Center and cross Huaxia Lu. The No.2 Children's Palace stands in front of the R&F Center and West Tower and on the left side of KWG International Financial Center. If you take other bus lines, get off at Wuyang New Village and walk about 15 minutes in the direction of Zhujiang New Town, The No.2 Children's Palace is located in the eastern section of Huaxia Lu.
● Waterfall scene of Guangzhou East Railway Square and CITIC Plaza
One of the most beautiful place along the axis is the East Railway Station Square and CITIC Plaza, especially, the waterfall scene of the Square is called Huangguoshu Waterfall at Guangzhou, closing to its south is the green square with the third largest area of its kind in China. The square with a green area of 4.7 hectares covers about 100,000 square meters.
※ Transportation:
Metro Line 1 and Line 3 to Guangzhou East Railway Station; all bus lines that lead to Guangzhou East Railway Station
Established in 1987, Tianhe Sports Center is located in the financial and commercial area of Guangzhou (the eastern part of downtown Guangzhou). Covering a total area of 510,000 square meters, it is the largest sports complex in Guangzhou.
Originally, Tianhe Sports Center consisted of a stadium, a gymnasium and a natatorium. After the Sixth National Games, a host of venues and facilities for sports events and mass exercises were added to it, including a baseball field, a tennis court, a bowling alley, a croquet court, an indoor karting facility, an outdoor swimming pool and a body-building center.
Tianhe Sports Center was fully opened to the public in 1995. Since then, the first fitness path in China has been built in it, together with a forest dance floor, an outdoor badminton court, a table tennis area, a children center, a fitness area, a basketball club and other facilities for mass exercises. Featuring green surroundings and a sub-tropical garden setting, Tianhe Sports Center constitutes a garden-style sports park. Now it has been developed into a multifunctional sports complex that integrates fitness, recreation, leisure and exhibition. As a result, it is a prime choice for sports event, mass sports activities and exhibitions.
Tianhe Sports Center has evolved into a symbol of Guangzhou's architectural achievements. Listed as a window of Guangzhou, this spectacular sports complex is a bright spot along the new central axis of Guangzhou.
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