Panmen Gate

The Panmen Gate, located in the southwest of the city, has reached us since the time of ancient Suzhou. In ancient times, Suzhou was decorated with 16 gates: 8 land and 8 water, which were destroyed over time. Built in the sixth century, the Panmen Gate was and remains the only gate on land and water. Their name means "the gates of a dragon curled up in a ball". The dragon was engraved at the top of the gate, towering near the Grand Canal with ancient bridges.

Once the Panmen Gate was part of an ancient city wall erected in 514 BC. Over time, the gate was destroyed, but in the XIV century during the reign of Emperor Zhizhen was carried out a large-scale reconstruction, and the gate found a second life.

In recent years, the city authorities have organized restoration work, as a result of which not only the gates were restored, but also a fragment of the ancient city wall. As part of the restoration project of the Panmen Gate, about 100 trees were planted, the surrounding area was improved, and ponds were cleaned. Now this part of the city has turned into a green tourist area where you can stroll, enjoying the views of historical monuments.