Xigu Park

　　Xigu Park was established in 1958. It is situated in the northwest part of Tianjin's urban area, overlooking the Ziya River to the south, connecting to Peach Blossom Embankment to the north, adjacent to the North Canal to the east, and reachable southwest to Tianjin West Railway Station, a modern railway transportation hub. Covering a total area of 320,000 square meters (approximately 480 acres), it is the only large-scale park in the northwest part of Tianjin’s central urban area. It stands out among the city’s parks for its dual highlights of “historical culture” and “natural ecology.”

　　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 once 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, as well as one of the “Three Treasures of Tianjin” from the Ming Dynasty — the Xigu Cannon Fort. There was also the predecessor of Xigu Park — the Xigu Arsenal. The arsenal was bombed by the Eight-Nation Alliance, but soon after, the ruins became the site of China’s first university — Beiyang University, which was once also called Xigu University Hall. The areas along both sides of the canal to the east of Xigu Park were once home to an extensive peach and willow embankment stretching for dozens of miles (collectively referred to as Xigu Peach and Willow at the time, covering the entire Xigu region). Emperors such as Kangxi and Qianlong, as well as literati like 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 development, the principle of “promoting the park through culture” was upheld. The essence of canal transport and Tianjin (Jin-Gu) culture was deeply refined, emphasizing the continuous integration 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 Renowned Chinese Time-Honored Brand Rongbaozhai outside Beijing — 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 garden nursery with fertile soil and proximity to the North Canal, ensuring abundant water supply — ideal conditions for 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 old, even century-old trees, both common and precious. Flowers bloom in three seasons, and greenery lasts all year round — a feature unmatched by other parks 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 also an exceptional ecological science education base.

　　Address: No. 3, Qiaobei Street, Hongqiao District

　　Phone: 86516925

Xigu Park is aAAA-level tourist attraction