Nansha Tianhou Palace is an architecture built in honor of the sea goddess Mazu whose real name is believed to be Lin Mo (960-987). There are many stories about Mazu helping people during shipwrecks, and that's why she was thought to be the incarnation of the goddess of sea. The goddess of sea has over 100 million believers in more than twenty countries and the number is increasing every year. 

The statue of the Goddess of Tianhou which is 14.5 meters tall is situated at the Tianhou Square. [Photo/visitgz.com]

Located on the southeastern slope of the Dajiao Mountain in Guangzhou city, the palace faces the Lingding Ocean which is the mouth of the Pearl River. The building covers an area about 100 hectares and combines both the styles of the Forbidden City in Beijing and the sublimity of the Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in Nanjing. Being reputed as the "First Tianhou Palace under Heaven", Nansha Tianhou Palace is the largest palace compound of its kind in the world.

Upon visiting Tianhou Palace, you will first arrive at Tianhou Square which is home to a huge statue of the Goddess of Tianhou. The statue is about 14.5 meters tall and made of 365 pieces of granite which bears the figurative meaning of blessing fishermen throughout the year.

Nansha Tianhou Palace combines both the styles of the Forbidden City in Beijing and the sublimity of the Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum in Nanjing. [Photo/visitgz.com]

Famous scenic spots of Nansha Tianhou Palace include Nanling Tower and Dajiao Mountain Forts. The eight-storey Nanling Tower is 45 meters tall and offers visitors a place to overlook the scenery around the palace. At Dajiao Mountain Forts, visitors can admire the relics where Chinese soldiers bravely fought with foreign invaders during the Opium Wars in the 19th century and the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

Tips for Nansha Tianhou Palace:

Ticket fee: 20 yuan ($3)

Opening hours: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm

Tel: 020-84981223

Transportation: Take Subway Line 4 and get off at Huangge Station and then take bus 361A or 361B to Tianhou Palace.

The palace is located at the southeastern slope of the Dajiao Mountain in Guangzhou City. [Photo/visitgz.com]