Xigu Park

Xigu Park

Xigu Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Xigu Park was established in 1958. Located in the northwest of Tianjin’s urban area, it overlooks the Ziya River to the south, connects to Peach Blossom Embankment to the north, borders the North Canal to the east, and reaches the modern railway hub Tianjin West Railway Station to the southwest. Covering a total area of 320,000 square meters (approximately 480 acres), it is the only large-scale park in the northwest of Tianjin’s central urban area, renowned for its dual characteristics of “historical culture” and “natural ecology,” ranking it first among all major parks in the city.

The site of the park, Xigu, is one of the earliest villages in Tianjin, boasting a long historical lineage and profound cultural heritage. It was home to Tianjin’s earliest official road to Beijing—the Xigu Die Road, the earliest ferry crossing—the Xigu Ferry, the earliest pontoon bridge—the Xigu Pontoon Bridge, and one of the “Three Treasures of Tianjin” from the Ming Dynasty—the Xigu Cannon Platform. There was also the predecessor of Xigu Park—the Xigu Arsenal. The arsenal was bombed by the Eight-Nation Alliance, but soon after its ruins, China’s first university—the Beiyang University—was built on the site, once briefly named Xigu University Hall. The canal banks to the east of Xigu Park were once lined with peach and willow trees stretching for miles (collectively referred to as Xigu Peach and Willow at the time, covering the entire Xigu area). Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, as well as literati such as Mei Chengdong and Zhu Min, all visited to admire the peach blossoms and compose poetry, leaving behind numerous beautiful verses. Currently, over fifty poems clearly marked with the words “Xigu” and “Xigu Peach and Willow” can be found. This further attests to the beauty and prosperity of Xigu in those days.

During the 2009 scenic area construction, the principle of “promoting the park through culture” was upheld. The essence of canal transport and Tianjin-local culture was deeply refined, emphasizing the continuous infusion of historical connotations and cultural elements into landscape renovations. This led to the creation of Tianjin’s first memorial halls dedicated to renowned calligraphers and painters—the Liang Qi Memorial Hall and the Gong Wang Memorial Hall, the city’s largest exhibition and working area for artists—the Xigu Painting and Calligraphy Garden, and the first branch of the Chinese time-honored brand Rongbaozhai outside Beijing—the Rongbaozhai Tianjin Branch. These three elements complement each other, forming a powerful cultural cluster. Additionally, based on historical records, Huangye Village, a place full of historical and cultural charm and regarded as a modern urban paradise, was also reconstructed.

Xigu Park maintains excellent natural ecology and boasts beautiful and pleasant ecological landscapes. Before 1958, this area was a horticultural nursery with fertile soil and proximity to the North Canal, ensuring abundant water sources that are highly conducive to plant growth. It has always been lush with greenery and pleasant scenery. To date, Xigu Park is home to over 230 plant species, including more than 5,000 evergreen plants, over 7,300 trees, nearly 50,000 flowering shrubs, and over 5,200 groups of potted plants. Among them are many rare species, and there are numerous large, ancient, and famous trees, some decades or even centuries old. Flowers bloom in three seasons, and greenery lasts all year round—an achievement unmatched by any other park in the city. During the peak of summer, temperatures here are often over 5°C lower than outside the park, making it feel like a summer retreat. It is a rare natural oxygen bar in the urban center and an exceptional ecological science education base.

Address: No. 3, Qiaobei Street, Hongqiao District

Phone: 86516925