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West Lake facts for kids

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West Lake
Pagoda on Lake (2514).jpg
Pagoda on Lake
West Lake is located in Zhejiang
West Lake
West Lake
Location in Zhejiang
Location Shangcheng District/Xiacheng District/Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Coordinates 30°14′54″N 120°08′38″E / 30.2482°N 120.1439°E / 30.2482; 120.1439
Type Natural freshwater lake
Native name 西湖 Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help)
Part of Qiantang River Basin
Primary outflows Grand Canal
Basin countries China
Max. length 3.2 km (2.0 mi)
Max. width 2.8 km (1.7 mi)
Surface area 1,580 acres (6.4 km2)
Average depth 2.27 m (7.4 ft)
Shore length1 15 km (9.3 mi)
Surface elevation 10 metres (33 ft)
Settlements Hangzhou
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

}} West Lake is a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, China. It is divided into five sections by three causeways. There are numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and natural/artificial islands within the lake. Gushan (孤山) is the largest natural island and three artificial islands: Xiaoyingzhou (小瀛洲), Huixin Pavilion (湖心亭), and Ruan Gongdun (阮公墩) stand at the middle of the lake. Leifeng Pagoda (雷峰塔) and Baochu Pagoda (保俶塔) are separated by the lake. Mirroring each other, the basic pattern of "one mountain, two towers, three islands, three banks, and five lakes" is formed.

Leifang Pagoda Sunset
Leifeng Pagoda

West Lake has influenced poets and painters throughout Chinese history for its natural beauty and historic relics, and it has also been among the most important sources of inspiration for Chinese garden designers. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having "influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries" and reflecting "an idealized fusion between humans and nature".

Images for kids

  • West Lake Map

    Map of the West Lake in Hangzhou, China

  • Hangzhou pic 13

    Baochu Pagoda

  • Three Pools Mirroring the Moon

    Three Pools Mirroring the Moon in West Lake, Hangzhou, China.

  • Hangzhou pic 11

    Qian King Temple, one of the major attractions of Xī Hú: Listening Orioles Singing in the Willows

  • West Lake Hangzhou 5

    Lotus in West Lake

  • Gifu Park China 2

    A miniature replica of the West Lake inside the Gifu Park in Gifu, Japan

  • China Hangzhou Bamboo Lined Path at Yunqi

    Cloud-Sustained Path in a Bamboo Grove

  • China Hangzhou Nine Greeks Meandering Through a Misty Forest

    Misty Trees by Nine Streams

  • West Lake on RMB

    The Back of the One Yuan Bill of RMB, 5th Version

  • Thewestlake

    View of Xī Hú from a row boat

  • Yufeimemorial

    Yue Fei Memorial Hall

  • HuPaoQuan

    Galloping Tiger Spring

  • China Hangzhou Westlake-3

    A traditional Xī Hú entrance

  • Fenyang Villa 08 2014-11

    The Guozhuang Garden, one of many historic gardens in the West Lake

  • Lotus in the Breeze at the Winding Courtyard

    Lotus in the Breeze at the Winding Courtyard

  • Su Causeway 1 (2548)

    View of the Su Causeway

  • Statue of Qian Liu in Hangzhou

    Statue of Qian Liu, the founder and first king of the Kingdom of Wuyue, near the West Lake

  • YF statue

    Statue of Yue Fei, a patriotic military general from the Southern Song dynasty, near the West Lake

  • Lotus at West Lake 2

    Lotus at the West Lake during summer

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lago del Oeste para niños

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West Lake Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.