The Number One Tower in the World - Kaifeng Iron Pagoda

Kaifeng Iron Pagoda was built in 1049 AD, and since the site was once the Kaibao Temple, it is also known as the "Kaibao Temple Pagoda". It is also called the "Iron Pagoda" because it is covered with brown glazed bricks that resemble iron, a name that has been used by the people since the Yuan Dynasty. It has long been reputed as the "Number One Tower in the World". The Iron Pagoda is an equilateral octagon, with thirteen levels and a height of 55.88 meters. The base of each side is 4.16 meters wide, gradually decreasing with each ascending level. The body of the pagoda is covered with patterned bricks, featuring over fifty different designs including flying apsaras, qilins, bodhisattvas, musicians, lions, etc. The base and the octagonal pool have been buried underground due to the flooding of the Yellow River. In June 1938, the invading Japanese army launched a fierce artillery attack targeting the Iron Pagoda. The pagoda was hit by seventy to eighty shells, with the north side of the pagoda heavily damaged. The eighth and ninth levels had their outer walls pierced, leaving two 2-meter-wide deep holes that still bear traces today. Opening hours: 08:00-18:00 Ticket: Free Address: 210 Beimen Street, Kaifeng Iron Pagoda Park, Kaifeng City Recommended visiting time: 2-3 hours