Opened to the public in 1925, the park covers an area of around 70,000 square meters, over half of which is occupied by a lake. In the center of the lake is Jade Flower Island, dominated by the imposing White Stupa, or Bai Ta, a Buddhist shrine.
Built in 1651 to mark the visit of the 5th Dalai Lama, it was destroyed by an earthquake on two occasions and subsequently rebuilt.
This distinctive Tibetan-style building sits on an enormous stone base. It is 37 meters high and is topped by a dome shaped like an upside-down bowl with a bronze pinnacle surrounded by 14 bronze bells. Inside the building are the Buddhist Scriptures, vestments belonging to monks and their remains, as well as a centuries-old begging bowl. This is the highest point in the park, so it offers a marvelous view.
An interesting fact: Jade Flower Island, on the spot where the Buddhist shrine now stands, was once home to the Palace of the Moon, where the legendary Kublai Khan received Marco Polo.
