Guangyue Tower
光岳楼
A four-story wooden pavilion built in the early Ming dynasty and standing at the center of the old city of Liaocheng, one of the oldest and tallest surviving pavilions of its kind.
Guangyue Tower was built in 1374, in the seventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming dynasty. It stands about 33 m tall at the crossroads at the heart of the old city of Liaocheng. It was originally a timekeeping and lookout tower called Yumu Tower. Its present name alludes to the saying 'near Lu lies Mount Tai, far in Lu lies Mount Dai,' since Lu is an old name for Shandong and Dai is another name for Mount Tai. The tower is a four-story timber structure with intricate bracket sets. Inside hang plaques by famous figures from many periods, and the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors both climbed it during their southern inspection tours. It is a key national cultural relic. From the top you can overlook the old city and Dongchang Lake. Admission is about 30 yuan (confirm on site). A visit takes about an hour, and the tower is especially photogenic after the lights come on at night.
Opening hours
08:00–18:00