Baota Mountain
宝塔山（岭山寺塔）
The symbol of Yan'an, with a Song-era pagoda on the summit overlooking the Yan River and the city encircled by three mountains and two rivers.
Baota Mountain lies southeast of the confluence of the Yan River and the Nanchuan River. The Lingshan Temple Pagoda on the summit was first built in the Tang dynasty and survives as a Ming-era reconstruction. The octagonal, nine-storey pagoda is about 44 metres tall and is a symbol of Yan'an and of the “Holy Land of the Revolution.” A hiking path takes about 20 minutes to reach the foot of the pagoda, and you can climb it to see the whole of Yan'an, along with Qingliang Mountain and Phoenix Mountain. The summit also has the Zhaixing Tower, a cliff inscription of Fan Zhongyan's “Jialing Mountain,” a Ming-era iron bell and other historic sites. Fan Zhongyan was stationed here during the Song dynasty. Admission is several dozen RMB (confirm the official price), and opening hours follow the posted notices. The pagoda is lit up at night, and the best views are from the Yanhe Bridge over the Yan River or from the central street of Baota District. It is a classic night-view spot. It is about 1 kilometre from the city centre and can be reached on foot or by taxi.
Opening hours
About 08:00–18:00 (extended in summer; check the site's announcements)
Nearby sights
- Qingliang Mountain
- Fenghuangshan Revolutionary Site
- Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region Government Site
- Wangjiaping Revolutionary Site
- Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Hall
- Yangjialing Revolutionary Site
- Yan'an Red Street
- Former Site of Lu Xun Academy of Arts