Plan your Shenyang tour? Shenyang, the capital city of Liaoning Province, boasts its own Forbidden City, imperial tombs, resourceful museums and several parks as well as impressive mountains.
Shenyang is located about 700km to the northeast of Beijing by road. It takes one and half hours to fly from Beijing to Shenyang.
I’ve rounded up the Top 10 Attractions in Shenyang for you to prepare for your trip to Shenyang.
1. Mukden Palace (Shenyang Imperial Palace) 故宫
Mukden Palace (Shenyang Imperial Palace) is the main draw in Shenyang, the magnificent palace resembles a smaller Forbidden City in Beijing. It is located in the center of the old Ming and Qing city in Shenhe District of Shenyang.
The palace complex represents the highest level art of early Manchu palace architectures and Manchu’s unique history and culture in the early stage.
Shenyang Forbidden City was built between 1625 and 1636. It was the residential palace of Manchu emperor Nurhachi (1559 – 1626) and his son, Huang Taiji. It was used by Manchu rulers until 1644.
After Manchu took over Beijing and established Qing Dynasty, Shenyang Imperial Palace served as the temporary imperial palace for brief stay when Qing emperors came to the northeastern China for inspection or paying tribute to their ancestors.
In 1926, Shenyang Imperial Palace Museum was built based on the former imperial palace. Now it has become a famous imperial palace museum with historical art value.
Entrance Fee: RMB 60
Location: 171 Shenyang Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 沈河区沈阳路171号
How to get there:
take bus to Zhongjie Pedestrian Street or take subway and get off at Huaiyuanmen
2. Zhao Mausoleum (North Tomb) 昭陵 ( 北陵 )
Zhao Mausoleum ( Luminous Tomb ) is the burial site of the founder of Qing Dynasty – Huang Taiji (1592 – 1643). The tomb is located in the north of the old city of Shenyang, hence the name of North Tomb ( Beiling 北陵).
Beiling Tomb ( North Tomb ) area has turned into a modern landscape park ( Beiling Park ) coupled with imperial tombs. The tomb occupies an area of 160,000 square meters, the largest imperial tomb outside Beijing in Qing Dynasty.
The tomb’s animal statues lead up to a mound where the emperor and his empress were buried. The traditional architectures and ornamentation around tomb site are magnificent.
Beiling Park is a good place to escape from the hustle-bustle of Shenyang’s downtown. The park is rife with pine trees, endowed with a large lake featuring with paddle boats and canoes for hire, bicycles for rental, food and snack vendors etc. Local residents come here to sing, play and picnic.
Entrance Fee (Park): RMB 6
Entrance Fee (Tomb): RMB30
Location:12 Taishan Road, Huanggu District, Shenyang 沈阳市皇姑区泰山路12号
How to get there:
Bus: 136, 205, 210 (Beiling Park)
Bus: 217, 232, 326, 381 (West gate to Beiling Park)
Bus: 131, 157, 178, 205, 231(East Gate to Beiling Park)
3. East Tomb (Fu Mausoleum) 东陵 ( 福陵)
Fuling Tomb is the burial site of Manchu emperor Nurhachi (1559 – 1626) and his empress . The tomb is located in the east of Shenyang’s old city, hence the name of East Tomb. Fuling was constructed between 1626 and 1651.
East Tomb (Fu Mausoleum) is recognized by Google Map as “Qingfu Tombs” or “清福陵”.
It was later renovated and enlarged in the reign of Emperor Kangxi and Qianlong. Confronted by Hun River and a backdrop of Tianzhu Mountain, the imperial tomb is surrounded by the mountain and river, deep grass and dense forest with quiet and beautiful environment.
From the entrance to the pailou, people need to climb 108 stone steps. East Tomb is smaller than Beijing ( North Tomb ) . But it is well tended with ancient tall trees.
Now Dongling ( East Tomb ) has been turned into a modern park where urban residents come here to rewind themselves by playing, singing and dancing. Fuling Tomb is not only an l Chinese emperors’ tomb, but also is the best eyewitness to Chinese history and culture.
Entrance Fee (Park): free
Entrance Fee (Tomb): RMB40
Location: 81 Dongling East Street, Dongling ,Shenyang
How to get there:
Bus 218 and get off at Dongling
4. Marshal Zhang’s Mansion 张氏帅府
Marshal Zhang’s Mansion is the former Residence of Zhang Zuolin & Zhang Xueliang.
Zhang Zuolin (1875–1928) was the warlord of Manchuria from 1916 to 1928. He was killed by a bomb planted by a Japanese Kwantung Army officer on 4 June 1928.
Zhang Xueliang ( 1901 – 2001 ) was the actual ruler of Manchuria and much of northern China after the assassination of his father, Zhang Zuolin, by the Japanese 1928. As an advocate of the Xi’an Incident, he spent over fifty years under house arrest in Taiwan. He is reputed as a patriotic hero in China.
Their residence compound is mainly divided into two parts – the old East Yard and the later West Yard. The East Yard is the earlier buildings of their residence with courtyards, Xiao Qing Lou, Daqinglou, Guandi Temple and Ms Zhao’s House outside the east wall. The West Yard was the later buildings of western style. You will visit Zhang Zuolin’s living room and Zhan Xueliang’s office room.
Entrance Fee : RMB 60
Location: 46 Shaofu Alley, Chaoyang Street,Shenhe District, Shenyang 沈阳市沈河区朝阳街少帅府巷46号
How to get there:
Bus: 105 113 117; 118,
Metro: Line 1 and get off at Huaiyuanmen (怀远门）
5. September 18th History Museum 九一八历史博物馆
The September 18 History Museum is built to remind people of the date September 18, 1931 when the Japanese aggressors invaded the Northeastern China.
The museum was built between 1997 and 1999. It was opened to the public on September 18,1999. The museum has a total exhibition area of 9180 square meters. It has 8 exhibition halls and over 10 large backgrounds for displaying historical events.
Entrance Fee : free ( closed on Monday)
Location: 46 Huanghua South Street, Dadong District, Shenyang 沈阳市大东区望花南街46号
How to get there:
Bus: 212, 245, 253, 298, 299, 325, 328, 399
6. Liaoning Provincial Museum 辽宁省博物馆
Liaoning Provincial Museum is the first museum after 1949 in New China. It was established in 1949 based on the former residence of the warlord Tang Yuling.
Shenyang Provincial Museum has a total number of 115,000 pieces of exhibits dating back to the prehistoric times through the late Qing Dynasty. Many of the artifacts are unearthed from Liaoning Province including calligraphy, paintings, carvings, ceramics, decorations, copper wares, coins, lacquer wares and the list could be much longer.
Entrance Fee : free ( closed on Monday)
Location: 48 Shaoshuai Alley, Chaoyang Street, Shenyang 沈阳市朝阳街少帅府巷48号
How to get there:
Bus: 214, 215, 216, 221, 228 , 230, 243, 248, 260, 326, 800 ,159 and get off at Shifu Square (市府广场)
7. Zhongjie Pedestrian Street 中街步行街
Zhongjie Pedestrian Street is a vehicle-free commercial street, 1500 meters long, the earliest shopping street in Shenyang and the first walking street in China.
It was inaugurated in 1625 when Manchu moved its capital to Shenyang. Now Zhongjie Pedestrian Street is packed with shopping malls, department stores, restaurants. Scattered in the alleys along the street you can find numerous free markets offering a great variety of goods.
Entrance Fee : free
Location: Shenhe District, Shenyang
8. Shenyang Strange Slope Scenic Area 沈阳怪坡
Guaipo Road (Shenyang Strange Slope Scenic Area) is located 30km to the northeast of Shenyang’ city center.
The weird and unnatural slope is 80 meters long, 15 meters wide with its east side tilting to the lower west. When you bike from the lower west end to the high east side, you feel much easier than you do it vice versa – biking down from the higher east to the lower west, hence the name of “Strange Slope”.
This strange phenomenon has attracted the attention of experts, celebrities and scholars who try to open the mystery. Some people say it is because of the function of magnet, others say the movement of gravity or eyesight difference. But nobody gives a perfect answer. The result is a large scenic park has been formed due to the fame of the slope.
The strange slope park now comprises the slope as well as the nearby mountains, rivers and ma-made sights with a total of over 20 attractions of various themes.
Entrance Fee : RMB 40 (including bike trial)
Location: Qingshuitai Township, Xinchengzi District, Shenyang 沈阳市新城子区清水台镇境内
How to get there:
From Shenyang Railway Station, take Bus 211 and get off at Orthopedics Hospital ( 骨科医院) , then connect Bus 383 for the slope
From Shenyang North Railway Station, take Bus 229，get off at Orthopedics Hospital ( 骨科医院) then connect Bus 383 for the slope.
9. Shenyang International Horticultural Expo Garden 沈阳世博园
Shenyang Expo Garden is located 18km to the northeast of Shenyang’ city center. This is the place when the World Horticultural Expo was held in 2006. The expo garden has an area of 246 acres featuring 53 domestic exhibition gardens, 23 international gardens and 24 special gardens.
Now the expo garden is mainly divided into two areas – Horticultural Area and Leisure Area. These elaborate gardens have plants and flowers from almost all the regions of the country and some from overseas.
Entrance Fee: RMB50
Opening Hours：09:00~17:00
Location： 301 Shuangyuan Road, Dongling District, Shenyang 沈阳市东陵区双园路301号
How to get there:
Bus 168 for the Expo
10. Shenyang Qipan Mountain 棋盘山
Shenyang Qipan Mountain is situated 20km to the northeast of Shenyang’s city center. Its fame was mainly due to the Women’s World Chess Championship once held here. It is said that the immortals – Lv Dongbin and Tieguai Li once played chess hers, hence the name of the mountain “Qipan”which literally means “Chessboard”.
Shenyang Qipan Mountain Scenic Area is a combination of nature and history, the largest natural landscape featuring undulating mountains, winding creeks, dense forest, singing birds and fragrant flowers. Come here spring for the green, summer for the scenery, autumn for the maple trees and winter for the snow.
Entrance Fee: RMB20
Opening Hours：All day
Location： 20km to the northeast of Shenyang’s city center
How to get there:
Bus 383 for Qipan Mountain
Tip: Hassle-free Shenyang Guided Tours
Don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route? No worries, We at Tour Beijing have some options for Shenyang guided tours with English-speaking tour guides:
Shenyang Tour
Shenyang Highlight Day Tour
Shenyang Layover Tour
Shenyang – North Korea 4 Day Tour
Northeast China 7 Day Winter Tour
Shenyang Car Rental with Driver
Shenyang Tailor-Made Tour
Harbin Tour
Harbin 3 Day Tour Package
Changchun Tour
Dalian Tour
Dandong Tour
North Korea Tour
Northeast China Tour
Further Readings
Top Attractions in Northeast China
Top 10 Attractions in Harbin
Top 6 Things to Do in Heilongjiang
Top 10 Attractions in Shenyang
Top 10 Attractions in Dandong
Top 10 Attractions in Ji’an
Top 10 Attractions in Panjin
Top 10 Attractions in Dalian (Tips, Photos and Maps)
Best Time to Visit Harbin
Where to Stay in Harbin
Harbin West Railway Station
Top Things to Do in Winter in Harbin
Harbin Ice and Snow Happy Valley
Harbin Ice and Snow World
Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo
Harbin Winter Swimming
Madieer Popsicles in Harbin
Harbin Jihua Ski Resort
Suan Cai Jiaozi – New Year’s Soul in Dongbei
What to see in Harbin, things to do in Harbin
China Snow Town
Scenic Drive from Harbin to China Snow Town
Shuttle Bus from Harbin to China Snow Town
Harbin – Yabuli – China Snow Town Shuttle Bus
Sunrise Glow over China Snow Village
Night View of China Snow Village
Qiqihar Taxi: Qiqihar Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Mudanjiang Taxi: Mudanjiang Taxi Fares, Tips and phones
Harbin Taxi: Harbin Taxi Fares, Tips and Phone
Yanji Taxi: Yanji Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Jilin Taxi: Jilin Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Changchun Taxi: Changchun Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Dandong Taxi: Dandong Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Shenyang Taxi: Shenyang Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Any questions, just drop a line.