Lianhua Pagoda

The Lianhua Pagoda, also known as the Lotus Pagoda, is a pagoda on the shore of the Pearl River in Guangdong, China. Built during the reign of Wanli (1572–1620), it is notable as its role as a landmark for European merchants travelling to Canton (Guangzhou). Because it is visible from the Bocca Tigris, the narrow point of the Pearl River where customs checks took place, it was a frequent sight for sailors. European merchants also knew it as the "Second Bar Pagoda", and it is featured in a variety of Canton export paintings and European prints. The Lianhua Pagoda also served to inspire Chinoiserie models and replicas of pagodas in Europe. Originally situated within a quarry, today it has been restored and its surroundings turned into a park.

Building data from Wikidata (CC0); heights normalised. Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).