Yuexiu Park: Five Rams, Zhenhai Tower and the City Wall

What is Yuexiu Park and why go?

Yuexiu Park (越秀公园, Yuèxiù Gōngyuán) is a hilltop park in Yuexiu District, north of the old city centre. Wikipedia gives its area as about 860,000 square metres. You go for green space in the middle of the city, the Five Rams statue (五羊石像) that stands for Guangzhou, and Zhenhai Tower (镇海楼), a Ming-era building on the hill. It suits a slow morning, and it pairs well with the Nanyue museums next door.

What is the history in brief?

The hill formed the northern end of the old walled city, and most of the walls have since been dismantled, Wikipedia says; Wikivoyage reports sections of wall still run through the park. A guard tower was first built on the site of Zhenhai Tower in 1380. The present building is 28 m high and 16 m wide, has housed the Guangzhou Museum since 1928 and has been destroyed and rebuilt five times, per Wikipedia. The Five Rams sculpture commemorates the legend of five rams that gave Guangzhou its nickname, “City of Rams”. Wikipedia dates it to 1960 and says it uses more than 130 granite pieces; we found no official date.

Wikipedia also records two later layers. The Pavilion of Regaining was built in 1948 on the site of a 1928 memorial to the Xinhai Revolution, and Yuexiu Stadium, converted from a park playground in 1950, holds 35,000 people and was an Asian Games venue in 2010.

What is there to see?

• Five Rams statue. China Daily calls it the landmark of Guangzhou. The legend is that five immortals came to the city on five rams.
• Zhenhai Tower (镇海楼). Wikipedia gives its height as 28 m. It now houses the Guangzhou Museum (广州博物馆).
• City wall sections run through the park, according to Wikivoyage.
• Yuexiu Stadium and the Pavilion of Regaining, if you like civic history.

iPhoto: ScareCriterion12 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Details

How much does it cost and when is it open?

A local guide updated in July 2026 lists free entry, no booking, and daily opening from 06:00 to 22:00. An older Wikivoyage entry says 06:00 to 18:00, so check if you plan an early or late visit. Some events charge for enclosed areas: the 2025 lantern festival (January 16 to February 16, 2025) charged ¥40 for the paid area and left others free, per the guide’s 2025 lantern-festival page.

For the Guangzhou Museum in Zhenhai Tower, a 2020 city list gives 09:00–17:30, closed Mondays, and free on the first day of each month. Wikivoyage lists ¥10 on another day, with hours of 09:00–11:30 and 13:00–17:00. Treat all of those as dated and check the museum’s notice. See Guangzhou museums for the booked museums.

How do you get there by metro?

Take Metro Line 2 to Yuexiu Park Station (越秀公园站). Wikivoyage (a 2012-era entry) names Exit B1 for the park. China for Travelers puts the Muslim Saints’ Tomb about 280 m from Exit B2 of the same station, and the Nanyue King Museum’s tomb zone names Exit E. Letters differ by gate, so pick the gate you want first: the west gate for Zhenhai Tower, and the main gate for the lake side. We could not confirm the exits on an official page, so follow the signs. See the metro guide for gate payment. The address for a taxi is 广州市越秀区解放北路988号.

How long do you need, and what is nearby?

Plan 1.5 to 2.5 hours for the statue, the tower and a walk; this is an editorial estimate. Nearby:

• Nanyue King Museum, tomb zone, at 解放北路867号 on Jiefang North Road, ¥10 (official page). The museums guide explains booking for the tomb and the palace zone.
• Muslim Saints’ Tomb (清真先贤古墓), No. 901 Jiefang North Road, per China for Travelers.
• Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (中山纪念堂), a dated Wikivoyage listing for Line 2 Exit C, with the grounds free and ¥10 to go inside.
• Beijing Road, a short metro ride south, for lunch and snacks.

What is the Nanyue tomb next to the park?

The tomb zone is the main reason to add a second stop. Wikipedia says the tomb belongs to Zhao Mo, the Nanyue king who ruled from 137 BC to 122 BC. It was found in downtown Guangzhou in 1983 and the museum opened in 1988. Its centrepiece is a jade burial suit made of 2,291 jade pieces, and other finds include a gold-inlaid bronze tiger and a Persian silver box described as the earliest imported product found in China to date. The official site sets the entry at ¥10, closed on Mondays; see the museums guide for the booking steps.

iPhoto: Shujianyang · CC BY-SA 4.0 Details

What combinations work?

• Half day, history. Yuexiu Park in the morning, then the Nanyue tomb zone, then lunch on Beijing Road. Book the tomb zone’s lower chamber a day ahead.
• Full day, old city. Add the Nanyue palace zone, Beijing Road and an evening dessert, as in the things to do hub.
• Rainy day. Start at Zhenhai Tower’s museum and move to the Nanyue museum, both indoors.
• Bigger hill walk. Baiyun Mountain, the green hill north of central Guangzhou, takes half a day on its own: ¥5 entry, Metro Line 11 to Yuntai Garden.

What are the tips for families and rainy days?

The park is open-air, so a dry morning suits it best. Paths climb hills, so wear comfortable shoes. In rain, Zhenhai Tower’s museum and the Nanyue King Museum give you indoor options. Check the lantern festival dates if you visit in winter, since enclosed areas can be paid.