How to Visit the Presidential Palace in Nanjing (Tips, Photos & Map)

Plan your Nanjing tour? The Presidential Palace in Nanjing (南京总统府) is a must-visit sight if you are interested in the modern history of China.

The Nanjing Presidential Palace has the history of over 600 years dating back to the Ming Dynasty ( 1638-1644) when the site was where the two palaces were located – Dehou Palace and Hanwang Palace. In Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911), this location became the Office of the Viceroy of Liangjiang (两江总督); the chief government official responsible for what is today Jiangsu, Anhui, and Jiangxi.

March 1853, the Taiping Revolution forces led by Hong Xiuquan took Nanjing. The palace was renovated and became Hong’s Palace. Later the armed forces of Taiping Heaven Kingdom was destroyed by Qing Military forces and many buildings were damaged and burned.

In 1870 during the Qing Dynasty, the Office of the Viceroy of Liangjiang was re-establised. The commanders including Lin Zexu, Zeng Guofan，Li Hongzhang,Zuo Zongtang were appointed as Governor-General.

In October 1911, the Xinhai Revolution （1911 Revolution） broke out. Sun Yat-sen was declared as the provisional President of the Republic of China at the Presidential Palace on January 01,1912. The following 5 years saw China falling into Warlord Era till 1927 when the Kuomintang’s Northern Expedition took Nanjing and turned it into the Office of the Nationalist Government.

During the Anti-Japanese Wall (1937–1945), Kuomintang government left Nanjing and moved its capital to Chongqing. The building of the Presidential Palace was captured by Wang Jingwei who collaborated with the Japanese. After Japanese surrender in 1945, Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Government retook the building.

The Presidential Palace also houses Nanjing Historical Remnants Museum of China Modern History. It has a total area of 90,000 sq meters with three visit sections – Middle (Kuomintang government), West( the provisional President of the Republic of China) and East (garden, stable, the remnants of the former executive offices and a series of exhibits and displays).

How to get to Nanjing Presidential Palace

The Nanjing Presidential Palace is located at 292 Changjiang Road in the Xuanwu District of Nanjing. It is about a 6-km walk going from Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum to the Nanjing Presidential Palace.

You may take subway line 2 or 3and get off at the station of Da Xing Gong (大行宫) and exit from the Exit 1, then walk about 370 meters to get there.

Entrance Tickets and Opening Hours

Virtual Tour of the Nanjing Presidential Palace in Nanjing

Follow us to have a virtual tour of the Presidential Palace. The Middle Area (Kuomintang government), West Area ( the provisional President of the Republic of China) and East Area (garden, stable, the remnants of the former executive offices and a series of exhibits and displays).

Walk along the axis of the palace, on your right side you will see a special exhibition room displaying the pictures and historical materials regarding Liangjiang Viceroy Office Residence of Qing Dynasty.

On the right side , you will see the exhibition room showing the historical materials on the Office of the Viceroy of Liangjiang; the chief government official in Qing Dynasty responsible for what is today Jiangsu, Anhui, and Jiangxi.

Further north, you will see also on your right side is the exhibition room with the display on the historical relics and materials about the Taiping Revolution forces led by Hong Xiuquan who took Nanjing.

Reception Room of the Kuomintang government. During the Nationalist Government periods, Chiang Kai-shek, Lin Sen, Li Zongren and other leaders took a short break in this room before ceremonies began. The communists-Nationalists Negotiations were held here in 1946.  

Move along the axis, you will visit the exhibition rooms with photos and artifacts introducing Kuomintang government.

The Zichao Building was used as the office building of the National Government and the Presidential Palace. 

The west section of the palace is left many remnants of the Najing Provisional Government. Dr.Sun Yat-sen took his oath of office in the Liangjiang Viceroy residence on January 01, 1912, this declared to the world that the Republic of China was formally established.

Even though the Nanjing Provisional Government only lasted about three months, it promulgated a series of important and influential politics, laws and decrees that proved advantageous to the development of the society.

Dr.Sun Yat-sen took his oath of office in the Liangjiang Viceroy residence on January 01, 1912

Tip:  Hassle-free Jiangsu Guided Tours

If you don’t want to do a self-guided tour and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for organized tours to Jiangsu Province:

Further Readings

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