Xi Yang Lou

Xi Yang Lou ({{zh-cp|c=西洋楼|p=Xī Yáng Lóu}}, lit: Western Mansion(s)) are ruins of 18th-century European-style imperial buildings on the grounds of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, China. They are located in the northern part of the Chang Chun Yuan, one of the three gardens which once made up the Old Summer Palace, and cover an area of about 7 hectares.

History

The Xi Yang Lou were commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor and designed mainly by the Italian Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione who was in his service as a court painter. Castiglione relied on the French Jesuit scientist Michel Benoist for the engineering tasks, in particular for the fountains, which where the chief interest of the emperor. Construction was carried out by Chinese craftsmen working under their supervision with some further contributions by other European artists, such as the German Ignatius Sickelpart and the Florentine Bonaventura Moggi.

Related Topics:
Qianlong Emperor - Jesuit - Giuseppe Castiglione - Michel Benoist

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Planning of the gardens started in 1747 and four years later in 1751, the first waterworks (Xie Qi Qu) were completed. Other milestones were the building of a large labyrinth (Huang Hua Zhen) in the years 1756 to 1759 and an observatory (Yuan Ying Guan) which was added in 1783.

Related Topics:
1747 - 1751 - 1756 - 1759 - 1783

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Like the rest of the old Summer Palace, the Xi Yang Lou destroyed in a fire laid by the Anglo-French allied forces in 1860 during the Second Opium War. However, since the masonry work was not consumed by the fire, significant ruins of many of the buildings can still be found on the site.

Related Topics:
1860 - Second Opium War

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Some conservation work on the site was carried out between 1977 and 1992. The Huang Hua Zhen labyrinth was rebuilt during this time.

Related Topics:
1977 - 1992

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