Guanxiang Hill Park & Qingdao Observatory
观象山
A small hill in the heart of the old city, where a century-old German observatory stands at the summit, overlooking red-tiled roofs, green trees and Qingdao Bay.
Guanxiang Hill sits in the center of the old city in Shinan District, about 79 meters above sea level. The Qingdao Observatory on its summit was built in the 1910s. It is a German-style castle-like structure built of granite and was once one of the most important meteorological and astronomical observatories in the Far East. The hilltop viewing platform overlooks the connected red-tiled roofs of the old city, the twin towers of the Catholic Church and Qingdao Bay. It is less crowded than Signal Hill but offers similar views. The park is free to enter, though the observatory's interior is usually closed. From Zhongshan Road or the Catholic Church, it takes about 15 minutes to climb up, passing through old lanes that retain the character of old Qingdao.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Qingdao Protestant Church
- Signal Hill Park
- St. Michael's Cathedral
- Zhongshan Road & Dabaodao Historic District
- Former German Governor's Office (Jiao'ao)
- Former German Governor's Residence
- Pichaiyuan Food Street
- Qingdao Tianhou Temple
Places to eat nearby
- Wangjie BBQ (Zhongshan Road Branch)
- Chunhelou (Zhongshan Road Head Office)
- Minguohai Seafood Dumpling Restaurant (Zhongshan Road Zhanqiao Branch)
- Yongle Beer House (Chengwu Road Branch)
- Shuangheyuan · Seafood Dumplings Qingdao Cuisine (Xuanhua Road Branch)
- Yiqinghui · Seafood Qingdao Cuisine (May Fourth Square Flagship Store)