Presidential Palace of Nanjing

Step into China's turbulent 20th-century history at the Presidential Palace in Nanjing, Jiangsu. Located at No.292 Changjiang Road in the Xuanwu District, this expansive complex is one of the largest surviving sets of modern Chinese buildings (1840–1949). The site has evolved dramatically over centuries, transforming from a Ming dynasty prince's manor into the Qing dynasty Office of the Viceroy of Two Lower Yangtze Provinces—which double-served as an imperial detached palace—and later Hong Xiuquan's lavish Palace of the Heavenly King during the Taiping Rebellion.

Today operating as the China Modern History Museum, the location housed the Office of the President of the Republic of China from 1927 until 1949, when the capital relocated to Taipei. As you explore the grounds, you will traverse a central axis, east garden, and west garden framed by structures built primarily between 1870 and the 1930s. Walk through the western-style Main Gate featuring ionic columns, view Sun Yat-sen's calligraphy in the traditional Main Hall, and discover the 1917 Reception Hall.

Further along, explore the six-storey reinforced concrete Presidential Building, where you can peek into Chiang Kai-shek’s former second-floor office.

What to see at Presidential Palace of Nanjing

• Main Gate rebuilt in 1929 featuring western-style ionic columns and guarded by stone lions
• Traditional Main Hall displaying Sun Yat-sen's four-character calligraphy inscription '天下為公'
• Reception Hall (Hall of Character 'Eight') built in 1917, historically used for major negotiations
• House of the Government Affairs, currently serving as the Museum of the President and the Vice President
• Six-storey Presidential Building (Zichao House) housing Chiang Kai-shek's second-floor office

Visiting tips

Board Nanjing Metro Line 2 and disembark at Daxinggong Station, which was named after the historical detached palace that once occupied this very site.

How long: 2-3 hours · Best time: Early morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Presidential Palace of Nanjing is easy to reach on Nanjing’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Nanjing Museum. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Nanjing travel guide.