Liaodi Pagoda of Kaiyuan Temple
开元寺塔
A brick pagoda built in the Northern Song, about 84 meters tall, the tallest surviving ancient brick-and-wood pagoda in China, dubbed 'China's Number One Pagoda.'
The Kaiyuan Temple Pagoda in Dingzhou was completed in 1055, during the Northern Song. It is about 84 meters tall, an octagonal eleven-story pavilion-style brick tower, and it is the tallest surviving ancient brick pagoda in China. Because Dingzhou sat on the Song–Liao border during the Northern Song, the tower was used to watch for Liao troop movements, earning it the name 'Liaodi Pagoda,' or 'Enemy-Watching Pagoda.' Inside, a gallery and staircases lead upward, and the interior preserves Song-era murals and inscriptions. It is a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit. Tickets are required (exact fee posted on site). It is within walking distance of the Dingzhou Examination Hall and the Dingzhou Museum, and a high-speed train from Dingzhou East to Baoding takes about 15 minutes.
Opening hours
About 08:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Dingzhou Examination Hall
- Beiyue Temple (Quyang)
- Yaowang Temple (Anguo)
- Ranzhuang Tunnel Warfare Site
- Mancheng Han Tombs
- Huai Army Guild Hall
- Guangyuan Garden (Cao Kun's Residence)
- Ancient Lotus Pond Garden