Yan'an Pagoda Hill

Yan'an Pagoda Hill

Yan'an is of great historical importance in relation to the Chinese revolutionary movement.Yan'an Pagoda Hill stands to the southeast of the city, and its name is derived from the nine-story pagoda on its summit that was erected during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Following the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Yan'an Pagoda Hill was designated by the State Council as one of the first group of key cultural relics to be granted state protection. The design of the Medal of Honor for Independence and Freedom issued by PRC in 1955 centers upon a relief of Yan'an Pagoda Hill together with five five-pointed red stars symbolizing the close unity of the Chinese people under the leadership of the China's Communist Party.

The octagonal brick built pagoda on the hill's summit is 44 meters (about 144 feet) in height and the pagoda as well as the hill on which it stands are symbols of Yan'an City. When the evening comes, decorative lights illuminate the pagoda and other new buildings superbly against the night sky.