Tianxin Pavilion
天心阁
The only surviving section of Changsha's ancient city wall, with a Ming and Qing pavilion overlooking the old city. It is a witness to the Taiping attack on Changsha and the Wenxi Fire.
Tianxin Pavilion stands at the southeast corner of Changsha's ancient city wall in Tianxin District. It is the city's iconic landmark. Construction began in the late Ming dynasty, and it was rebuilt during the Qianlong reign of the Qing. The pavilion gave its name to Tianxin, and it became a landmark of Changsha. It was destroyed in the Wenxi Fire of 1938 and rebuilt in 1983 in the Qing style. The pavilion is 17.5 m tall, with three storeys and multiple eaves, and stands on the only surviving section of the ancient city wall, which dates from the Hongwu era of the Ming and is 251 m long. It is the best-preserved historic site in the old city. Highlights include:
Climbing the pavilion for views over the old city and new landmarks such as IFS.
The Taiping attack on Changsha memorial sculpture and cannon emplacements on the wall. In 1852, Xiao Chaogui, the Western King of the Taiping, died here in battle during the siege.
Chonglie Gate, Chonglie Pavilion, and anti-Japanese War memorial buildings.
A Changsha history exhibition inside the pavilion. Tianxin Park has displays about the city wall and a citizen's teahouse.
An annual Spring Festival temple fair and lantern show in the park.
Tickets: Tianxin Park is free, and climbing the pavilion costs about 30 yuan.
Getting there: Metro Line 1, Nanmenkou Station, or Line 2, Furong Square Station, then a 10-minute walk. It is about 1.5 km from Pozi Street and Taiping Street, a walk or a shared-bike ride.
Tip: Allow about 1 hour, ideally in the afternoon. After leaving the park, walk to Pozi Street for dinner. Nearby, the Baisha Well, a famous Changsha spring where residents queue to fetch water, is worth a short detour.
Note: The pavilion's stairs are steep. The park is busy with morning exercisers.
Opening hours
Park open all day; Tianxin Pavilion 08:00–17:30
Nearby sights
- Baisha Well
- Changsha Bamboo Slips Museum
- Du Fu River Pavilion
- Changsha IFS
- Former Residence of Jia Yi
- Huangxing Road Pedestrian Street & Wuyi Square
- Pozi Street, Huogongdian & Wenheyou
- Taiping Old Street