Kaiping Diaolou and Villages, China

Diaolou of Majianlong Village, Kaiping, China
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Majianlong_Village_Cluster_in_Baihe_Kaiping_China.jpg
Author: Kounosu


Kaiping is a city in Guangdong province, China. It is also called Hoi Ping. The city has a population of 680,000 as of 2003.

Kaiping is famous for the multi-storey towers called diaolou. These towers were built for two purposes: for housing as well as for protection against bandits. The diaolou were constructed in the early Qing Dynasty, with the most being built in the 1920's and 1930's. Today, about 1,800 diaolou are still standing.

Diaolou of Kaiping, a World Heritage Site
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KaipingDiaolou.jpg
Author: ToisanHeritage


The architecture of the diaolou appears to be a fusion of Chinese and Western architectural styles. Yet they appear to blend into the surrounding landscape, attesting to the final flowering of local building tradition to combat local banditry.

The Kaiping Diaolou and Villages were inscribed as World Heritage Sites during the 31st session of the World Heritage Committee in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 23 June to 2 July, 2007. The core zone covers an area of 371.948 hectares surrounded by a buffer zone of 2738.052 hectares.

Diaolou of Kaiping, China
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kaiping_September_2007.jpg
Author: Pacual 1er

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 22 17 7.87 E 112 33 57.1
Inscription Year: 2007
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, III, IV

Visiting Kaiping Diaolou and Villages

A journey by bus from Guangzhou to Kaiping takes 2 hours and costs ¥45. The diaolou can be seen in the small villages around Kaiping, including Liyuan (an hour away), Zilicun (3 km away) and Chikan. You should arrange with a taxi to take you around, or with a travel agent for a tour.

List of World Heritage Sites in China

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