Marco Polo Bridge 卢沟桥Lúgōu Qiáo

Why go to Marco Polo Bridge

Spanning the Yongding River about 15 km south-west of central Beijing, Marco Polo Bridge (Lugou Bridge in Chinese) is a 266-metre granite bridge of eleven arches, first completed in 1192, its balustrades topped by hundreds of carved stone lions in different poses. Cross the bridge, then walk east into Wanping Fortress, a small walled town built in 1638–1640 that holds the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

The story

Marco Polo described a stone bridge here 'so fine indeed, that it has very few equals in the world', which is why it is known by his name in the West; the bridge was reconstructed after flood damage in 1698. On the night of 7 July 1937, fighting broke out here between Japanese and Chinese troops, and this Marco Polo Bridge Incident is generally regarded as the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

What to see at Marco Polo Bridge

• The carved stone lions 石狮: Each post along the balustrades carries a lion or a group of lions, large ones with cubs tucked behind, in different poses and from the Yuan to the Qing and a few older ones. Count them if you like, but expect to get a different total.
• Jin-dynasty dragon heads 金代龙头: Under the bridge, the central arch and the fifth arch from the west keep a carved dragon head each, thought to be original Jin-dynasty work from the 1190s.
• Morning Moon over Lugou stele 卢沟晓月碑: A stele with the Qianlong Emperor's calligraphy stands in a pavilion at the end of the bridge, naming one of the classic Eight Views of Yanjing, the old name for Beijing.
• Wanping Fortress 宛平城: The small walled town at the bridge's east end was built in the 1630s–40s, and its gates and lanes are a pleasant walk after the bridge.
• Museum of the War of Resistance 中国人民抗日战争纪念馆: Inside Wanping, the museum covers the Second Sino-Japanese War and the 1937 incident at the bridge.

How to visit Marco Polo Bridge

Park or arrive at the Wanping end, walk across the bridge and back, then pass through Wanping Fortress to the war museum. The bridge is the main sight and takes under an hour; the museum, which has a security check, is where the visit stretches to half a day. A second small museum on the bridge square, the Lugou Bridge History Museum, and the war museum are both closed on Mondays except public holidays.

How to get to Marco Polo Bridge

Take Metro Line 16 to its southern terminus, Wanpingcheng, beside Wanping Fortress, with the bridge just west of the fortress; a taxi from central Beijing takes about 30–45 minutes.

Where to stay

There is little accommodation at the bridge itself, so most visitors base themselves in central Beijing or around Beijing West Railway Station in Fengtai, a short ride away on Line 16.

What to eat

• Beijing fried-sauce noodles (zhájiàng miàn) 炸酱面: Noodles topped with a savoury fermented-bean sauce, the everyday Beijing lunch.
• Candied hawthorn skewers (bīngtánghúlu) 冰糖葫芦: Hawthorn berries coated in hard sugar syrup, a classic Beijing street snack.

Tips for visiting Marco Polo Bridge

• Look closely at the lions: smaller cubs hide on the heads, backs and paws of the larger ones, which is why counts have varied; the official tally is 501.
• The war museum by Wanping Fortress is closed on Mondays except public holidays and checks ID at security, so carry your passport.
• At the bridge ends, find the stele with the Qianlong Emperor's inscription 'Morning Moon over Lugou', one of the classic Eight Views of old Beijing.

Nearby

• Fragrant Hills Park 香山公园 20 km
  Wooded former imperial hills that turn red with smoke-tree leaves each autumn
• Qianmen Street and Dashilar 前门大街·大栅栏 20 km
  A pedestrian avenue below Qianmen gate and a lane of shops trading since Qing times
• Tiananmen Square 天安门广场 20 km
  A vast ceremonial square below Tian'anmen gate, where the national flag is raised at dawn
• National Museum of China 中国国家博物馆 20 km
  Ancient bronzes, jades and porcelain in a vast museum beside Tian'anmen Square
• Beihai Park 北海公园 20 km
  A former imperial lake garden crowned by a white Tibetan-style stupa on its island
• Forbidden City 故宫 20 km
  Six centuries of imperial power behind vermilion walls in the heart of Beijing

Also within 30 km: Changxindian February 7th Strike Sites 长辛店二七大罢工旧址 (under 10 km), Beijing Garden Expo Park 北京园博园 (under 10 km), Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture 中国园林博物馆 (under 10 km), Zhengang Pagoda 镇岗塔 (under 10 km), Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park 石景山游乐园 (under 10 km), Beijing World Park 北京世界公园 (under 10 km).

On the map

Open Marco Polo Bridge on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)