The Summer Palace - Beijing   July 2012

Originally named Garden of Clear Ripples, it was built by Emperor Qianlong in 1750 to celebrate his mother's birthday. It  was then used as a garden for emperors and empresses, until it was burned down by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860. Empress Dowager Cixi diverted navy funds to rebuild it in 1886 but it was seriously damaged again by the Allied Forces of Eight Powers in 1900. Restoration was in place in 1902 and the Summer Palace was opened to the public as a private property of the Qing imperial family in 1914 and then formally opened as a park in 1924. In 1998, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO and has become a treasure of human civilisation.