The Nanyue Kingdom Palace Museum is built over the archaeological site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace, which is listed into the Cultural Relics under State Protection. Located at the heart of the inner city of Guangzhou, the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace testifies to the fact that Guangzhou has been the political, economic and cultural center of the Lingnan region over a period of thousands of years.
Since the year 1995, in the excavated area of the site have been discovered palaces, a royal garden and palace walls of the Nanyue period (203 B.C. - 111 B.C.), which prove that it used to be the location of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace and the heart of the Kingdom's capital. The royal garden is the earliest example of its kind discovered to date in China.
Also discovered here are the remains of the palaces and a royal garden of the Nanhan Kingdom which existed in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (917 - 971), demonstrating that the site was the location of the Nanhan Kingdom Palace, too.
It has been found that the site was also the seat of government offices in various historical periods following the unification of the Lingnan region by the Qin Empire. The cultural strata discovered here start upwards from the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C. - 206 B.C.) through the Western Han, the Eastern Han, the Western Jin, the Eastern Jin, the Southern, the Tang, the Song, the Yuan, the Ming and the Qing Dynasties up to the Republic of China (1911 - 1949), storing the cultural relics of twelve historical periods. They are like unwritten chronicles that record over two thousand years of urban development of Guangzhou.
The cultural strata discovered from this site storing the cultural relics of twelve historical periods. They are like unwritten chronicles that record over two thousand years of urban development of Guangzhou.
In addition, more than five hundred wells have been found within the area. Built with different materials and in different styles, they constitute a museum of wells.
With a protection area of 53,000 square meters, the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace has been twice listed as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries of the year1995 and 1997 in China. In 1996, it was declared as one of the Major Historical Monuments and Cultural Relics under State Protection by the State Council. In 2005, it was made a receiver of the special fund for the protection of major national relics in "the 11th-Five-Year-Plan". In 2006, " Relics of the Nanyue Kingdom" consisting of the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace, the remains of the wooden water gate and the mausoleum of the second king of the Nanyue Kingdom was included in the list of China's candidates for world cultural heritage status.
Part 1 The Nanyue Kingdom Palace
The discoveries of the relics of palaces and garden by archaeological excavations unveiled the mysterious Nanyue Kingdom exsited 2000 years ago. The exhibition will show you the history of the kingdom and the archivements that it had made in fields of palace and garden construction, cultural exchanges and ethnic integration.
Part 2 The Nanhan Kingdom Palace
The Nanhan Kingdom was the second local sovereign founded in Guangzhou, which had important influence to the city's development. Through archaeological findings, this exhibition will highlight the accomplishments that the kingdom had achieved in the fields of polity, economy, capital construction and overseas tradings.
Part 3 Guangzhou - a City of Great Antiquity and Rich Culture
The cultural strata discovered from this site storing the cultural relics of twelve historical periods. They are like unwritten chronicles that record over two thousand years of urban development of Guangzhou.
Part 4 Guangzhou's Ancient Well Culture
In the excavated area of the Palace of the Nanyue Kingdom have been found over 500 wells built in various dynasties, which can be said to constitute a natural museum of wells. It is proved that the palace is an ideal place for human habitation. By examining the wells, one can gain some knowledge of how Guangzhou solved the problem of getting drinking water throughout history.
The Site Display Zone (close for construction)
The site display zone includes three areas: the crooked stone brook display area, the Nanyue Kingdom Palace replica display area and the Nanhan Kingdom Palace eplica display area.
※ Exhibition: Excavated artifacts from the ruins of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace
※ Location: No.316 Zhongshan Si Road, Guangzhou (the museum is currently only partly open. However visitors can enter the museum at the west gate near the Department of Finance of Guangdong Province in Beijing Road)
※ Opening Hours: from 9:30 to 15:30 hrs (no tickets offered after 15:00), closed on Mondays
※ Tickets: Free of charge. Only ticket-holders can enter the museum.
(1) Visitors can obtain the tickets at the west gate near the Department of Finance of Guangdong Province in Beijing Road.
>> to see the map for ticket office and entry
(2) Only 800 tickets will be distributed every day. The distribution time is 9:30 and 12:00 hrs and each time 400 tickets will be distributed. No more tickets will be offered after 15:00 hrs
(3) Each person can obtain only one ticket and only ticket-holders are allowed to enter. When there are too many visitors inside the museum, we will stop offering tickets to ensure there is adequate order inside the museum and protect our cultural heritage.
※ Tour Guide Service:
(1) Regular tour guide:
9:30 Nanyue Kingdom Palace
10:15 Nanhan Kingdom Palace
11:00 Guangzhou - a City of Great Antiquity and Rich Culture
13:30 Nanyue Kingdom Palace
14:15 Nanhan Kingdom Palace
15:00 Guangzhou - a City of Great Antiquity and Rich Culture
(2) Language service device: Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Korean and Japanese
? The hire price is 10 yuan for each (with 200 yuan deposit)
? Telephone for reservation and consultation: 83896543
※ Transportation:
? Metro: Exit E, Gongyuanqian, Metro Line 1 and 2
? Bus: take bus No. 14, 27, 64, 193, 217, 265, 281, 286, 293, 528, 833, Expressway 1, Expressway 27 and get off at Guangweilu Coach Terminal
? Bus: take bus No. 7, 102, 107, 108, 191, 243, 264, 517, 833 and get off at Caiting Stop.
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