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Explore the region
About Prince Gong Mansion
The southern residential portion is arranged through courtyards and substantial buildings; the northern garden changes the pace with ponds, pavilions, rockwork, and artificial hills. Originally associated with the official Heshen and later Prince Gong, the compound is useful for comparing elite domestic life with the much larger imperial palace. Read the mansion and garden as two linked parts, allowing time for the transitions between formal courts and carefully composed garden views.
The mansion and garden originated as an expansion, over six years, of a residence held by the official Heshen (和珅); after his death in 1799 it passed to Prince Qing (庆郡王) Yonglin (永璘), and in 1850 it was granted to Prince Gong Yixin (奕䜣), who took up residence in 1852 and gave the mansion its present name. Around 1920 Yixin's grandson Puwei (溥伟) mortgaged the property to the Catholic Church, and in 1937 Fu Jen University purchased it.
The mansion and garden cover a combined 61,120 square meters, of which the mansion occupies about 32,260 square meters and the garden about 28,860 square meters; courtyards along middle, east and west routes lead to a 160-meter rear building separating residence from garden. The garden's three routes include the Fu Pond (蝠池), the Grand Opera House (大戏楼) and the Lake Heart Pavilion (湖心亭).
After 1950 the mansion and garden were occupied by institutions including the Beijing Art Academy and the China Conservatory of Music, with 121 households living on the grounds; relocation began in 1979 and was completed by January 2003. The mansion was named a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in 1982. Its garden opened to visitors in the 1990s, and the main residence was renovated and reopened during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
What to look for
- Residential courtyards: compare the enclosed siheyuan spaces and the scale of the mansion buildings.
- Northern garden: look for ponds, pavilions, and Taihu-style rockwork arranged as changing scenes.
Location & getting there
Getting to Prince Gong Mansion
The matched travel listing places the mansion at 14A Liuyin Street in Xicheng, beside the wider Shichahai area.
- Use the mansion’s street entrance as the arrival point rather than a general Houhai lakeside destination.
Combine your visit
Suggested order within this visit:
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Southern residential courts
Begin with the domestic and ceremonial part of the mansion.
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Transition to the garden
Notice the shift from axial buildings to garden scenery.
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Northern garden
Finish among the ponds, pavilions, and rock formations.
This sequence is an editorial suggestion based on the features described in the sources. Access to individual buildings or areas should be checked locally; no travel time or shared admission is implied.
Find Prince Gong Mansion
恭王府 · 西城区
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
Shichahai 什刹海
Less than 1 km awayShichahai is a historic lake district formed by Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai, north of Beihai Park. Its waterside paths sit within an old neighborhood of temples, former mansions, and hutongs, recalling the area’s former role in…
View guide →Gulou and Zhonglou 钟鼓楼
Less than 1 km awayBeijing’s Drum and Bell Towers stand together at the northern end of the old inner-city central axis. They served the practical task of announcing time through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing periods, giving the surrounding streets a…
View guide →Beihai Park 北海公园
1 km awayBeihai Park is arranged around a large lake northwest of the Forbidden City. Jade Islet rises from the water with the White Dagoba above Yong’an Temple, while the northern shore holds a different group of pavilions, courtyards…
View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
- Wikipedia: Prince Gong's Mansion ↗
- Wikivoyage: Beijing/Xicheng ↗
- Chinese Wikipedia: 恭王府 (revision 92035491, 2026-03-25) ↗
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1353039744.
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikivoyage contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "恭王府", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92035491.
Background paragraphs condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "Prince Gong's Mansion", English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1353039744.