Nanjing Presidential Palace

The Nanjing Presidential Palace is at 292 Changjiang Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing. It is the largest and best-preserved complex among China's modern historical relics, and one of Nanjing's most representative Republican-era buildings. As a key site in China's modern history, it was often the national political and military center, where many major historical events began. Many pivotal modern Chinese events either happened here or were closely linked to it, with numerous prominent figures having been active here.

Highlights of Nanjing Presidential Palace

The Presidential Palace Gatehouse

The Presidential Palace Gatehouse

The iconic gatehouse of the Presidential Palace has eight Ionic columns on its south facade, with Baroque carvings. On the south side, there are three arched wrought-iron gates with hollowed-out tops, showing a strong retro style. The north side is square, embodying the meanings of "round outside and square inside" and "round heaven and square earth". After Nanjing fell in 1937, the Japanese army held an entry ceremony here. Later, it served as the gate for institutions like the puppet "Reformed Government of the Republic of China". After the 1948 "Constitutional Implementation" National Assembly, the characters "總統府" (Presidential Palace) were put up. A pair of stone lions at the gate, relics from the gateway of the Qing Dynasty's Liangjiang Viceroy's Office, have witnessed the vicissitudes of history and are one of the must-visit spots for tourists.

The Main Hall

The corridor in the main hall

As the main building of the Presidential Palace, it has a single-story structure with a hard山顶 (yingshan ding, a type of gable roof) and double eaves, connected to the Second Hall by a passageway. Its original site was the Golden Dragon Hall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom; it is said that Hong Xiuquan was buried here after his death. The hall was later destroyed and rebuilt by Zeng Guofan in the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign. On January 1, 1912, the ceremony for Sun Yat-sen's inauguration as Provisional President of the Republic of China was planned to be held here, but was moved to the west warm pavilion behind the hall due to cold weather. In 1929, the National Government hung the plaque "Tian Xia Wei Gong" (The World Belongs to All)—with inscriptions by Chiang Kai-shek and Sun Yat-sen—on the central beam of the hall. It has been in use ever since and remains well-preserved. One can deeply feel the weight of history here.

Zichao Building

Zichao Building

As the central office building of the National Government, it is a typical public administrative structure of the Republic of China. The first floor contains the offices of the Presidential Palace Document Bureau. On the second floor, the south-facing room was Chiang Kai-shek's office, with a large desk placed diagonally by the window—reportedly for security and to watch the corridor. A photo of Chiang in military uniform hung above the sofa. The north-facing room served as Vice President Li Zongren's office. The third floor was the National Government's conference room. The building's layout and furnishings recreate the office scenes of the Republic of China, making one almost see the decisions and disputes that happened here. It is a key place to learn about the history of the Republic of China.

Xuyuan Garden

Xuyuan Garden<

A famous Jiangnan garden, it was the Han Prince's Mansion garden in the early Ming Dynasty, named after Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu. In the Qing Dynasty, it served as the garden of the Liangjiang Viceroy's Office and was expanded during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The garden preserves many well-known historic sites, such as the stone boat "Buxizhou", Xijia Tower, Wangfei Pavilion and Yilan Pavilion. Pavilions and towers are neatly arranged; ponds, fountains, trees and lawns complement each other. It has both the gentle beauty of Jiangnan water towns and the profound sense of history. Here, visitors can walk along garden paths, enjoy the scenery, feel the tranquility and elegance, and enjoy a moment of leisure in the historic atmosphere.

Educational Value

The Presidential Palace’s architecture and spaces have seen key historical shifts: from late Qing, Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Republic of China, to the early People’s Republic. They are a condensed "three-dimensional textbook" of modern Chinese history. When visiting, tourists can clearly link historical lines—like China’s social changes after the Opium Wars, what the 1911 Revolution meant, and the Republic’s political structure features—and see the logic of social changes behind different regime shifts.

Activities to do at Nanjing Presidential Palace

Visiting Artifact Exhibitions: The Presidential Palace features multiple historical artifact exhibitions. Housed in the former Bureau of Government Affairs building are two displays—the Donated Relics of Republic of China Dignitaries and the Presidential Palace Historical Archives—showcasing precious historical materials. Other shows include Hong Xiuquan and Heavenly Kingdom Palace Artifacts, plus Qing Dynasty Liangjiang Viceroy & Office Artifacts. Visitors can examine these items up close and uncover stories from various historical periods.