Nanjing National Defense Park

Nanjing National Defense Park

Nanjing National Defense Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Nanjing National Defense Park is an important part of the famous Stone City Scenic Area and has been listed as a key cultural relics protection unit in Jiangsu Province. In 1975, Comrade —, then Vice Premier of the State Council, specially accompanied North Korean Prime Minister Kim Il-sung on a visit. The park was first built in August 1992, covering a total area of 300 acres. On the gate tower are five gilded Chinese characters forming the name of the park, which were personally inscribed by General Secretary — before the park’s establishment.

The site of the National Defense Park was originally the fortress of Jinling Yi built by King Wei of Chu in 333 BC. Later, in 212 AD, Sun Quan of the Eastern Wu Dynasty, recognizing the strategic importance of Stone Mountain, built the Stone City on the ruins of Jinling Yi to guard the gateway to Jiankang, along with a beacon tower. During the Yonghe period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the “Enter Han Tower” was constructed, making it a key military stronghold of Jiankang. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Stone City was renovated again, and during the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang expanded the world-renowned Nanjing City Wall, reinforcing and restoring the Stone City. Today, over a kilometer of the original city wall remains at the western foot of the mountain. A massive rock on the wall, weathered by nature to resemble a terrifying ghost face, gives this section of the Stone City ruins its nickname—the Ghost Face Wall.

What was once a key military site has now become a renowned venue for national defense and patriotic education in Nanjing. It consists of the National Defense Education Hall, Military Branches Hall, Heroes and Models Hall, National Defense Science and Technology Hall, Heavy Weapons Field, Simulation Training Ground, and Military Sports Entertainment Park. The name of the “National Defense Education Hall” was inscribed by former Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission —; the name of the “Military Branches Hall” was inscribed by Chief —; leaders such as Zhang Aiping, Jiang Weiqing, Du Ping, and Xiang Shouzhi also wrote inscriptions for the park.

On the second floor of the exhibition hall is the newly opened “Shenzhou” Spacecraft Display Room, which exhibits a model of China’s successfully launched and recovered manned “Shenzhou” spacecraft. The model, scaled to one-third the size of the original and specially made for Nanjing by the state aerospace industry corporation, is the first time a “Shenzhou” simulation model has been publicly displayed nationwide—a rare sight for most people. This model is identical to the real “Shenzhou” spacecraft, and the exhibition hall also showcases a large number of physical photos and textual materials related to the Long March rockets and spacecraft.

Behind the exhibition hall is the “Space Voyage Hall.” Using a large-scale dynamic platform specially made by the National Space Department and wide-screen films, it employs high-tech audio, light, electricity, 3D animation, and simulation techniques. As visitors’ seats sway and vibrate left, right, up, down, and forward in sync with the immersive screen visuals, it feels as though they are truly aboard a spaceship, experiencing a tense yet thrilling, adventurous yet surreal “space voyage,” creating a lifelike sensation never before felt. “Traveling through space—pure joy.”

Next to the Space Voyage Hall is the Military Sports Entertainment Park, a trendy recreational facility modeled after the physical training methods used by the military and police academies. The park features uniquely designed attractions such as the Step Cloud Bridge, Overcome the Peril, Climbing Nets, Drunken Bridge, Tightrope Walking, Single-Plank Bridge, and Wobbly Bridge. These activities help cultivate courage, willpower, and physical strength among youths while providing excitement and thrills, making it very popular among young visitors. Safety nets and protective facilities are also installed to ensure a safe, convenient, and enjoyable experience.

Located at the southeastern foot of the Heavy Weapons Field, it is the city’s first large-scale outdoor barbecue site. Built against the hillside and nestled within forest shade, it offers both barbecue and hot pot options, with a capacity to accommodate 500 people at once.

The Azalea Garden, along with the slopes covered in fiery azaleas, forms Nanjing’s largest dedicated azalea garden. Every spring and summer, the vibrant red azaleas bloom throughout the National Defense Park.

Address: No. 87, Hujv Road, Gulou District, Nanjing

Type: Theme Park, Exhibition Hall, Exhibition

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–3 hours

Phone: 025-83313180

Ticket Information:

Free admission.