Tongli Ancient Town

Located in Wuzhou City of Jiangsu Province, north to Suzhou, east to the Grand Canal, and at the bank of Taihu Lake, Tongli is a famous ancient town that is surrounded by 8 lakes. It is also known as the Little Venice. This town maintains its features as an ancient Chinese water town. In 2004, Tongli was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With a history spanning over 1,000 years, Tongli has had fame throughout China for its beautiful flowing rivers, historic bridges, and ancient homes. It is a peaceful and quiet town. This peace is also reflected in the calm and clear water.

Owning to the landscape, most of the homes are built along the water with staircase leading to the canals which offers local people a convenient access to water. Almost anywhere, you can see vendors rowing on the canal that serve as the town’s main mode of transportation and women washing clothes along the river.

One of the most distinct features of Tongli Ancient Town is its stone bridges. There are 49 stone bridges linking many sections of the town, with each bridge having its own name and its distinct style. Some of them are connected to legends.