HANGZHOU WEST LAKE SCENIC AREA : LEIFENG PAGODA
Leifeng Pagoda (Chinese: 雷峰塔; pinyin: Léifēng Tǎ) is a five story tall tower with eight sides, located on Sunset Hill south of the West Lake in Hangzhou, China. Originally constructed in the year AD 975, it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002. Since then, it has become a popular tourist attraction. In October 1999, the provincial and municipal governments decided to rebuild Leifeng Pagoda on top of the ruins of the old one. The new pagoda opened on 25 October 2002. It is composed of a 1400 tonne steel structure with 200 tonnes of copper parts. It contains four sightseeing elevators, and modern amenities such as air conditioning, television, and speakers. At the entrance of the pagoda, there are two autonomous escalators to carry visitors to the base of the pagoda. The original base of the pagoda is kept in good condition, as well as the artifacts discovered in the underground chamber. Hangzhou is one of the most beautiful and amazing places in the world – particularly the area around the west lake !