Nanjing travel guide - where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Nanjing.
-
1
Nanjing Man (Homo erectus) lives in the Tangshan Huludong Cave in Jiangning District
-
2
King Goujian of Yue builds the Yuecheng fortress near today's Zhonghua Gate, the earliest recorded city on the site
-
3
King Wei of Chu builds a fort on Stone City Hill and names the area Jinling
-
4
Sun Quan of Eastern Wu moves his capital to Jianye, beginning Nanjing's role as a capital
-
5
Eastern Jin and the Southern Dynasties (Song, Qi, Liang, Chen) rule from Jiankang, then a leading Buddhist and cultural center
-
6
Li Bian founds the Southern Tang kingdom with Jinling as its capital
-
7
Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims the Ming dynasty in Nanjing; the city wall is built 1366-1393
-
8
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum built for the Hongwu Emperor
-
9
Admiral Zheng He sails treasure voyages from Nanjing's Longjiang shipyard
-
10
Ming capital formally moves to Beijing; Nanjing stays the secondary capital
-
11
Treaty of Nanking, ending the First Opium War, is signed aboard HMS Cornwallis at Nanjing
-
12
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom makes Nanjing its capital, Tianjing, until the city falls in July 1864
-
13
Sun Yat-sen is sworn in as provisional president of the Republic of China in Nanjing
-
14
Nationalist government makes Nanjing its capital; Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum completed in 1929
-
15
Japanese forces capture Nanjing, and the Nanjing Massacre follows over about six weeks
-
16
People's Liberation Army enters Nanjing, ending Nationalist rule of the city
-
17
Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge opens as the first bridge designed and built by China across the lower Yangtze
-
18
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List
-
19
Nanjing hosts the Youth Olympic Games; 13 December is designated National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims
Historical sites
Places where Nanjing's past comes alive.
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum
Where: Xuanwu District, Nanjing
Admission: Free; advance real-name reservation with passport required
Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum
Where: Xuanwu District, Nanjing
Admission: ¥70 (~$10.45)
Nanjing City Wall at Zhonghua Gate
Where: Qinhuai District, Nanjing
Admission: ¥50 (~$7.46)
Presidential Palace and China Modern History Museum
Where: Xuanwu District, Nanjing
Admission: ¥40 (~$5.97)
Nanjing Museum
Where: Xuanwu District, Nanjing
Admission: Free with advance real-name reservation
Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders
Where: Jianye District, Nanjing
Admission: Free; passport required at entry
Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao)
Where: Qinhuai District, Nanjing
Admission: ¥30 (~$4.48) for the temple compound; riverside streets free
Zhan Garden (Zhanyuan)
Where: Qinhuai District, Nanjing
Admission: ¥30 (~$4.48)
Jiming Temple
Where: Xuanwu District, Nanjing
Admission: ¥10 (~$1.49)
Linggu Temple and Beamless Hall
Where: Xuanwu District, Nanjing
Admission: ¥70 (~$10.45) scenic-area ticket
Ming Palace Ruins Park (Ming Gugong)
Where: Qinhuai District, Nanjing
Admission: Free