Historic places in Shenyang

14 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Shenyang.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

See
9.18 Memorial Museum
“九•一八”历史博物馆, 9.18 History Museum
At 22:30 on 18 September 1931, a bomb exploded beside the Japanese-run railway line near Shenyang. Though instigated by the Japanese, the Chinese were blamed for the event giving the Japanese an excuse to invade and occupy the whole of the northeast of China. Shenyang was the epicenter of that invasion, so it is most appropriate that the museum for the Mukden Incident, known in China as the '9.18 Incident', is in Shenyang next to the spot where the explosion occurred. The museum, as one would expect, depicts the incident from a Chinese perspective. It is not for the faint of heart because it unflinchingly displays the atrocities of war. Only the main descriptions are available in English, but it's enough to follow the course of events. The pictures and exhibits speak for themselves, anyway.
Summer: 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30, closed on Mondays. Winter: 09:00-16:30, no entry after 16:00, closed on MondaysFree
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Liaoning Provincial Museum
辽宁省博物馆
A high-quality museum featuring Liaoning history from the stone age to the Qing dynasty, with many relics of China's past found in the area (3rd floor). Also houses large collections of Chinese traditional art and calligraphy, plus temporary exhibitions. There may be queues to enter during main public holidays.
April to October: Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:00. November to March: Tue-Sun 09:30-16:30, no entry after 15:30Free
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Mukden Palace
故宫 Gugong
Former Imperial Palace - built in 1625 for Nurhachi, and inherited by his son Abahai (Huang Taiji), the Former Imperial Palace of Shenyang is one of two royal complexes extant in China today. The splendid and distinctly ethnic Manchu architectural style of the palace, which includes Dazheng (Grand Politics) Hall, the Ten Princes' Pavilion, Chongzhen (Golden Chimes), Phoenix Chamber and Qingning (Pure Tranquility) Pavilion, are still in perfect shape. On Saturday afternoons during the summer, the palace is the venue for a grand Imperial procession. This is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the palace in Beijing. It is also an AAAA-rated tourist site on the Chinese national scale. A guidebook is available in English at the ticket office, priced ¥25, which provides a detailed explanation of the exhibits. This fascinating palace contains finer details compared to the one in Beijing, such as the exquisitely handcrafted detailed carving and painting, which are still clear after four centuries. The throne room in Chongzheng Hall has incredibly detailed scrollwork -even the columns circled by the watchful dragons and on the throne. The palace also shows a significant influence from the nomadic heritage of its builders in the cold Manchuria.
¥60 as of January 2011
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Royal Ocean World
皇家极地海洋世界; Huángjiājídehǎiyángshìjiè
Opened in 2008 and still being expanded, this claims to be the biggest aquarium in Asia. There are four displays open. The Ocean World display contains sea and fresh water aquariums filled with all manor of aquatic life. The Century Forest display focuses on reptiles. There is also the Narnian Castle which is a theatre where animal shows are performed several times throughout the day (show times may vary throughout the year). Lastly there is Susu world, a soft play centre for children. Each of these displays can be purchased separately or on a combined ticket. Beside this site, Asia's largest water park features swimming pools, water flumes and other water activities.
¥70-140
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Shen-Air Museum
沈飞航空博览园
Beiling Airport is the site where China produced its first modern jet aircraft in the early 1950s. The first ones were copies of Soviet MIG fighters but gradually Chinese designs were developed. A strong focus is placed on comparing Chinese and American aircraft, in particular those involved in the Korean War of the 1950s. They also tell the history of Chinese missile development and other technologies. Civilian aircraft were also produced here and feature in the exhibits. The tour finishes with the modern J-11 fighter, China's new passenger aircraft (ACAC ARJ21 Xiangfeng or Flying Phoenix) and Chinese space flights. This is an AAAA-rated site on China's national tourist scale.
08:30-16:30, closed on Mondays¥30
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Shenyang Railway Museum
沈阳铁路陈列馆
Housing 15 historical locomotives and 3 duplicated historical locomotives. It is the biggest steam locomotive museum in China.
09:00-16:00, closed on Mondays¥80
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The old Longkou Wine Museum
老龙口 laolongkou
A small museum beside the Laolongkou distillery tells the history of Baiju production on the site which dates to the early 17th century. The display includes old maps and photographs of the area. Equipment used in the wine production and a collection of old bottles, labels and trademarks used by the company.
Free
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West Tower Street
西塔街
was built in the fifth year of Chongde (1640) and completed in the second year of Shunzhi. Emperor Qianlong once wrote plaques for the four temples and hung them on the main halls of the four temples. The plaque of Yanshou Temple is "金粟祥光". Except for the different names and the Buddha statues enshrined, the four towers and four temples have almost the same architectural scale and shape. The Xita area is the largest Korean gathering area in the three northeastern provinces except for the Korean autonomous prefectures and counties, integrating the essence of Korean national culture. Xita Commercial Street has a long history of more than 120 years and has nurtured a unique ethnic style. On both sides of the main axis of Xita Street, a leisure and cultural industry belt with strong Korean characteristics and Korean style has been formed.
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Xinle Ancient Ruins Museum
沈阳新乐遗址博物馆, Xinle Site Museum
On this location were found the remains of a 7000-year old, stone age, village. A museum now houses the archaeological finds and the village has been reconstructed. The site is in two sections. The ticket office is on the north side of the road. You will then be directed across to the museum on the south side to view the display before returning to the north side again to enter the reconstruction area. Displays are labelled in Chinese and English and the site is rated AAA on China's national tourist scale.
May 1st to October 14th: 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30. October 15th to April 30th: 09:00-16:30, no entry after 16:00¥20
Buy
Zhong Jie
中街
It has shops selling cell phones, computers, electronic equipment or the latest fashions and accessories. Box/department stores are within walking distance of Zhong Jie as well as the north train station. There are many western brands here, including cafes and restaurants. The Forum 66 Mall is well-travelled and full of international food and clothing brands, and its relatively empty companion, the Palace 66, is now open at 市府广场站 Shifu Guangchang station on the 2 line.
See Not mapped
North, East, South and West Pagodas
北塔 Beita, 南塔 Nanta, 东塔 Dongta, 西塔 Xita
Built in the 1640s and now restored to close to original, these four pagodas stand each about 4 km north, south, east and west of the Imperial Palace that was the centre of the old city. Each pagoda is almost identical to the others but the north and south pagodas are in the best condition today.
Free
See Not mapped
Shengjing Ancient Cultural Street
盛京古文化街
Shenjing is the old name for Shenyang during the 17th century - jing meaning capital city. This street tries to recreate the architectural styles of the time. It is however only a facard over the front of relatively modern 20th-century structures within which a variety of tourist orientated shops operate.
Free
See
Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral
沈阳耶稣圣心主教座堂, 南关天主教堂, 小南天主教堂
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Taiqing Palace
太清宮
Taoist temple built in the Qing Dynasty.
Closed · opens 9 am¥2

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Shenyang (CC BY-SA 4.0).