Lion Grove Garden - UNESCO world heritage site in Suzhou
Last Update: 15th October 2020
With an area of 1.1 hectares, Lion Grove Garden was originally built in 1342. The plan of the garden is square. The name comes from the stone forests resembling the lion. Buildings in the garden reflect the combination of the traditional landscape gardening and Buddhism.
Lion Grove Garden Fast Facts
- Chinese Name: Shizilin (狮子林)
- Area: 1.1 x hectares
- Things to do there: Photography, History and Culture, Architecture
- Who visits: Photographers, History and Culture Lovers, Architects
- Time required: 1 – 2 x hours
Interested in visiting Lion Grove Garden on a Tour?
Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours including Lion Grove Garden, among other attractions and destinations. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.
What to expect at Lion Grove Garden
The Lion Grove Garden is composed of the ancestral hall, dwelling houses, and gardens. There are lots of exquisite artificial hills in the garden. Therefore, the garden is also acclaimed “Artificial Hills Kingdom”. When seeing the stunning hills, you’ll be amazed at the landscape gardening applied. Nine artificial hills look like nine lions with different gestures. Some of the hills are like rabbit, pig, monkey and horse.
Near the entrance stand stone peaks, artificial stalagmites, peony and magnolia denugata, which make for harmonious views with the side windows of Lixue Hall.
Yanyu Hall is the main hall in the garden. It features 3 statues of fairy and 1 little boy on the beam. You’ll see several horizontal inscribed boards there. The stone carvings of the entire garden are one of the highlights there.
Hualan Hall faces the waters. It has 14 wooden French windows in the south. Every window is carved with one poem of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). The 6 wooden windows in the north are decorated with landscape and characters stories. Situated on the northwest of the pool, the marble boat is fitted with 86 stained glass windows. The body, beams and roof are stone structures while window, doors and decorations are wooden. Wenmei Pavilion is surrounded with plum trees. Tables and chairs are plum-blossom-shaped. In addition, they as well as windows are carved with plum blossoms.
Best time to visit Lion Grove Garden
The best time to visit the garden is in the early morning as it is not crowded at that time.
The best months to visit are from April to October.
How to get to Lion Grove Garden
Several buses pass by the garden. Thus, there are several options.
- Rent a vehicle to the garden. This is the quickest and most direct option.
- Take Bus 518, 112, 55, 262, 202, Y2, Y1, 811, 529 or Bus 309 to the Stop of Gongren Wenhuagong (工人文化宫站). Then walk to the garden.
Additional Lion Grove Garden Travel Advice
- Opening hours: 07:30 – 17:00 (April – May and July – October); 07:30 – 16:30 (June and November – March).
- As at 15th October 2020, the entrance pricing to the garden is 30 CNY per person; children between 1.2m tall (1.2m tall included) and 1.4m tall (1.4m tall not included) are charged 15 CNY per person; the elder between 60 years old (60 years old included) and 70 years old (70 years old not included) are charged 15 CNY per person; the elder above 70 years old (70 years old included) and children under 1.2m tall (1.2m tall not included) are free of charge; For the latest pricing, please contact us via email (info@wendyweitours.com)
- Please book the entrance ticket via Suzhou Tourism Official Account (苏州旅游总入口)on WeChat.
- Please present your passports to the staff at the entrance.
Interested in visiting Lion Grove Garden on a Tour?
Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours including Lion Grove Garden among other attractions and destinations. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.