Brief information on Panmen Gate  

Located in the southwest of Suzhou city, Panmen Gate is the oldest city gate in Suzhou city. It was first built in B.C. 514 as one of eight city gates in the Spring & Autumn Period (770-476 BC) when Suzhou was the capital of the Wu Kingdom. The present gate was reconstructed in 1351, and consists of Water and Land Gates, the City Gate Tower and City Walls at both sides. The current magnificent gate tower was rebuilt in 1986 with flying eaves and up-turning corners.

Panmen Gate is a fortress suitable for ancient water-towns like Suzhou in the southern part of China. It is also known in China for its architecture complex of both land and water city gates. The two water gates adjoining the land gates are the only water passes inside and outside the southwestern corner of the city. Built with granite, each of them has enough space for two boats to pass at the same time. There is a huge sluice gate at each gate to control the water.

On the top of the gate, you can see the Wumen Gate Bridge and the Auspicious Light Pagoda, which are popularly known as the Three Scenes at Panmen Gate together with Panmen Gate. The Auspicious Light Pagoda is the oldest Buddhist pagoda in the area, on the top of which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the picturesque Yangtze River Delta.

*You can download the bilingual note to show it to a taxi driver or someone else to find your way to Panmen Gate if you plan to visit Panmen Gate and have language problems.

   

Hours: 08:00-17:00
Address: No. 1, East Street.