Hangzhou Maps

Hangzhou is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang Province in eastern China. It lies on the lower reaches of the Qiantang River, near Hangzhou Bay, at the southern end of the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal. According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of nearly 12 million. Hangzhou has the administrative status of a sub-provincial city.

The city received the name Hangzhou in 589, during the Sui dynasty. From 907 to 978 it was the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom. It later served as the capital of the Southern Song dynasty, when it was known as Lin'an, until the Mongols captured it in 1276. In the 13th century, the Venetian traveler Marco Polo described the city under the name "Quinsai". Archaeological sites in the area show human settlement since the Neolithic period. These include the remains of the Liangzhu culture.

Hangzhou has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the West Lake Cultural Landscape, inscribed in 2011; the Grand Canal, inscribed in 2014; and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, inscribed in 2019.

The city is a major center of China's digital economy and is home to the headquarters of companies such as Alibaba Group, NetEase and Hikvision. It is also traditionally known for its silk production and for Longjing tea, which is grown in the hills around West Lake.

Hangzhou hosted the G20 summit in 2016 and the 19th Asian Games in 2023.

The city's climate is humid subtropical. Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport serves the city, and the Hangzhou Metro has been in operation since 2012. Zhejiang University, one of China's leading universities, is based in Hangzhou.

Main sights in Hangzhou