The walled city of Pingyao

Pingyao is one of the better preserved cities of the North of China, really possibly be the only one that the original wall preserves of finished form not only, but the structure that you keep silent about the structure of his quarters and houses it has been supported also in his traditional form.

Placed in the slightly visited Province of Shanxi, to little more than 100 kilometers of Taiyuan, it was known scantly in the exterior until a few years ago. Perhaps that has freed him from this first wave of wild tourist development that so much damage has caused in other places of historical interest. In Pingyao it is still possible to know how the typical distribution of a city was in the classic China. All his streets are placed in straight angle, parallel bars to some of four main streets, which, from the center of the city they go out towards four points of the compass.

The traditional constructions, with his courtyard in the center, have survived of amazing form. Many of them are still the residence of the progeny of his builders, many centuries ago, they have restored and embellished others like specialized museums in showing the different characteristics of the ancient Pingyao.

Perhaps the most interesting of these museums is that of Rishengchang Piaohao, the first bank of China that was founded on Pingyao in the year 1824. This prompt bank extended his activities throughout the country, and even the nearby countries. Soon other banks were established in Pingyao turning the city into the financial center of China. In the museum that explains the functioning of these financial institutions in the XIXth century.

The whole city is a monument, and any walk that of for her is replete with buildings of historical value, the majority well restored and opened to the public, sometimes with an excessive entry. The Tower of the Drum, the Palace of the Yamen, etc. None manages, nevertheless to steal leading role from him to the street.

And already set to see the relics of the past. The best thing to go out to the outskirts to see two temples amazingly beautiful.

The Monasteries of Xuanzhongsi and that of Shuanglinsi.

Unfortunately each one is in a direction, but the small effort to look for a transport and to go so far as to visit them, he will turn out to be generously rewarded.

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