Songzhou Ancient City

松州古城

Songzhou Ancient City, also known as Songpan Ancient City, was first built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. Since ancient times, it has been a military fortress in the northwest Sichuan region and an important post station for the "tea-horse trade" of the Tibetan, Qiang, Hui and Han peoples with a long history.
Songzhou Ancient City is divided into two cities, inner and outer, with a gate connecting the two cities. The city wall is made entirely of blue bricks, solid and strong, with a thickness of 12 meters, the thickest in the country.
The turbulent Minjiang River runs from east to west through the ancient city, passes through the central street of the ancient city, turns south, and passes through the south gate of the city. In addition, there are two ancient style mosques preserved in the ancient city.

Attractions Location: Around No. 126 North Street, Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province

Tickets:
Songzhou Ancient City Wall Scenic Area: RMB 45 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)

Transportation:
You can take the bus to Songpan County from Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station.

Time reference: 1-3 hours


Recommended itinerary for Songzhou Ancient City tours

1-day tour: Songzhou Ancient City Highlights Tour

  • 08:00 Depart from Chengdu (3.5 hours by car/bus from Chadianzi Bus Station)
  • 12:00 Tour of Songzhou Ancient City (3 hours walking tour)
  • 15:00 Gusong Bridge Scenic Spot (10-minute walk)

Travel through the ancient Tea-Horse Road town in one day

Accommodation: Boutique Inn in the ancient city; Food: Songzhou Yak Hotpot

Souvenirs: Tibetan copper teapot, dried pine mushroom slices


2-day tour: Songzhou + Huanglong

  • Day 1: In-depth tour of Songzhou Ancient City
  • Day 2: Huanglong Scenic Area (1.5 hours by car)

The perfect combination of ancient city culture and calcification pool wonders

Accommodation: Chuanzhusi Town Hotel; Food: Tibetan yogurt

Souvenirs: Huanglongcai Pond postcard, Tibetan medicine sachet


3-day tour: Songzhou + Jiuzhaigou

  • Day 1: Songzhou Ancient City
  • Day 2-3: Jiuzhaigou (2.5 hours by car)

A journey from the Ancient Tea Horse Road to the fairy tale world

Accommodation: Jiuzhaigou Entrance Hotel; Food: Tibetan Family Banquet

Souvenirs: Jiuzhaigou scenery album, Tibetan silver bracelet


4-day tour: Songzhou + Ruoergai

  • Day 1: Songzhou Ancient City
  • Day 2: Hongyuan Prairie (3 hours by car)
  • Day 3-4: Ruoergai Flower Lake (2 hours by car)

Panoramic experience of ancient city, grassland and wetland

Accommodation: Ruoergai Tent Hotel; Food: Roasted Whole Lamb on Grassland

Souvenirs: yak wool scarf, grassland honey


5-day tour: Songzhou + Seda

  • Day 1: Songzhou Ancient City
  • Day 2: Maerkang (4 hours by car)
  • Day 3-5: Serthar Buddhist College (3 hours by car)

A deep journey from the Ancient Tea Horse Road to the Holy Land of Faith

Accommodation: Larung Gar Hotel, Seda; Food: Vegetarian

Souvenirs: prayer wheels, Tibetan scripture bookmarks


6-day tour: Songzhou + Daocheng Yading

  • Day 1: Songzhou Ancient City
  • Day 2: Xinduqiao (5 hours by car)
  • Day 3-6: Daocheng Yading (6 hours by car)

A grand tour across two classic routes in western Sichuan

Accommodation: Tibetan residence in Yading Village; Food: Plateau yak hotpot

Souvenirs: Snow Mountain Model, Tibetan Incense


7-Day Tour: Jiuzhaigou Loop

  • Day 1: Songzhou Ancient City
  • Day 2-3: Jiuzhaigou
  • Day 4: Huanglong
  • Day 5-7: Chengdu surrounding area (Dujiangyan/Qingcheng Mountain)

A classic loop that combines natural wonders with ancient Shu culture

Accommodation: Chengdu Kuanzhai Alley Boutique Hotel; Food: Sichuan Opera Face-changing Hotpot

Souvenirs: Sichuan embroidery crafts, Sichuan opera masks


User Reviews

By Rest, little thief |

As for the cultural relics in the ancient city, there is only a city wall, and it is rather dilapidated. There are no ancient buildings in the city, but the location is special and the ethnic customs are quite strong.

By No. 1 |

How should I put it? It is indeed very commercialized, but it does not prevent you from understanding the local culture.

By A seagull |

There is a section of rammed earth in the ancient city wall that is a relic of the Ming Dynasty, and the section at the north gate has been repaired. Most of the restaurants are concentrated in the ancient city.

By Beans |

Our food and accommodation are good, the guide and driver provide very good service👍

By fincen |

The commercial atmosphere is very light, and it is an ancient town with a strong Tibetan flavor. The dairy cows in the ancient town are quite delicious. Don't spend money to go up to the city tower, it's boring, just walk around the city, the Tibetan people are very enthusiastic, and you can also buy something

By The Mountain is Silent |

Songpan County, an ancient city in the northeast of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, was formerly known as Songzhou. It has a long history. Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty married Songtsen Gampo and stayed here. Songzhou Ancient City is also a must-go place on the way to Jiuzhaigou.

By Teng ye teng ye |

I don't have much impression. I passed by twice and stayed there once.

By Li travels all over the world |

The ancient city of Songpan County in the northeast of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, formerly known as Songzhou, is a famous historical city in Sichuan Province and a famous frontier town in history. It is known as the "Gateway to Western Sichuan" and was a place for military operations in ancient times.

By 丶Monster |

An ancient city on the way to Jiuzhaigou. It was the place where Songtsen Gampo welcomed Princess Wencheng. There are many sculptures of ancient people related to the Qiang people on the city wall.

By life |

Songpan, it has been 12 years since we last visited it. The first time was when I was in college, and now I am already a parent. After so many years, I am filled with emotion when we meet again. The flowers are the same year after year, but the people are different year after year. I miss our youth. There was no entrance fee to the city wall before, but now it costs 30 yuan per person. My family did not go up to see it.

By loiiis-lysea |

The statues of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng can be seen just after entering the city gate of Songpan. There is an antique bridge as you walk in, and there are shops next to it. The buildings are antique and have ethnic characteristics, but we didn't go into the shops. There are some murals on the top of the bridge, but I didn't look at them carefully. You can see the buildings on both sides of the bridge, which have their own characteristics of the Qiang people.

By Journey to the West Outdoor Travel |

Songpan Ancient City is magnificent and imposing

A street of famous snacks from the Northwest in the ancient city, a world for foodies

By Idle Clouds and Wild Cranes 2010 |

During the Tang Dynasty, the Tibetan leader Songtsen Gampo sent an envoy to Chang'an to propose marriage. When the envoy passed through Songzhou, he was detained by the governor. Songtsen Gampo was furious and personally led an army of 200,000 to invade. The Tang governor Han Xian was defeated. Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered the Minister of Personnel to lead the army to Songzhou. After the battle of Chuanzhu Temple, the Tang army won a great victory. After Songtsen Gampo returned to Tibet, he sent an envoy to send gold to ask for marriage and reconciliation. Emperor Taizong explained the righteousness and married Princess Wencheng to Songtsen Gampo, which has been passed down for thousands of years.

The most interesting thing is that three corners of the ancient city are in the valley, while the fourth corner is on the top of the mountain, which is necessary for defense.

By Rice Field 2017 |

The name may not be as good as the ancient towns of Lijiang and Dali, but it has a different look and feel.

By ibic |

It's okay, just stroll around and feel the history, but there's not much scenery.

There are Hui restaurants almost everywhere. Is this a Hui gathering area?

By GG |

After visiting Huanglong, I rushed to Songpan Ancient City in the afternoon. Even the new buildings are built in an antique style. There are many antique marks at the North Gate, and there are many special foods in the city. I stayed at the Songpan Ancient City Memory Hotel, a newly built two-story hotel with great environment and service.

By Beichen's Narrative House |

There is no youth hostel in this place. It is heavily commercialized and is a gathering place for tourist products. If you don't go to Huanglong, there is no need to go here.

By Shenzhen Qianhai Bingleng Ruiheng Investment Management Co., Ltd. |

It was very nice to have lunch here. I had yak soup. The price-performance ratio was very, very good! It was right not to have a meal at Diexi Haizi! !

By Northwest Flowers |

Just take a look when you pass by, there is no need to go there specifically for him!

By JJL |

Because you need to pay an entrance fee to go up the city wall, many people don't go, but I think the ticket is not expensive, and there is a tour guide who degrades the history, it is still worth it. There is a grandma selling butter tea on the city wall. After improvement, it tastes very good, 10 yuan a cup, and the scenery is also very good.

By janicesun |

It's just a section of the city wall. I left after taking photos. The barley cake tasted good👍

By China-TravelNote users |

Songpan, formerly known as Songzhou, is a historical area in Sichuan Province. It is a famous frontier town in history, known as the "Gateway to Western Sichuan" and a place where troops were used in ancient times.

By Martian User |

The ancient city is surrounded by green city walls. The houses in the city are low and there are many alleys. The four main streets of east, west, south and north are wide and clearly spread in the city. There are old bridges, a gurgling stream under the bridge, teahouses and rattan chairs by the river, a tall city gate in the distance, and Cangshan Mountain outside the city gate... Everywhere you look, you will feel a sense of time intertwining.

By cat on keyboard |

I went there on the way to Jiuzhaigou Huanglong, it was ok. I also saw a car accident on the way...

By Mu Ziying |

A must-go place to Jiuzhaigou. There is a fee to climb the city wall. It is not recommended to go up. Just walk around outside and go straight to Jiuzhaigou.

By The mouse loves the cat |

The ticket for Songpan City Wall is 30, but it's still a loss as there's nothing to see on it.

By Blue sky |

Songpan Ancient City is located in the northwest of Sichuan Province. It is known as the "important town in northwest Sichuan", "important town on the border" and "strategic point". It is an ancient city full of Tibetan style. At present, it is also a hub connecting important scenic spots such as Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong, Hongyuan-Ruoergai Prairie. Songpan Ancient City is known as the "plateau ancient city" and is a national cultural relic protection unit. Songpan, formerly known as Songzhou, is a historical city in Sichuan Province and a famous border town in history. The appearance of the county town now still shows traces of the past: the blue city wall surrounds the ancient city; the houses in the city are low, there are many alleys, and the four main streets of east, west, south and north are wide and clearly scattered in the city; the old bridge, the gurgling river under the bridge, the teahouse and rattan chairs by the river, the tall city gate in the distance, and the Cangshan Mountain outside the city gate... Wherever you look, it gives people a feeling of interweaving time.

By West Gate |

This is an ancient city that is relatively well preserved. The ancient city wall is built on the mountain, the stream runs through the city, the city gate is majestic, and the city market is still relatively authentic, without a strong commercial flavor. I heard that it used to cost 150 yuan to go up the city tower and the city wall, but this time we climbed up and visited the city wall and the city tower without paying a penny. We had a meal in a small shop on the small street of the ancient city. The authentic Sichuan cuisine was cheap and it was great. I suggest that you spend two hours to visit the ancient city and have a meal.

By His Royal Highness Wang Jiuye |

Passing by Jiuzhaigou, there are huge stone statues of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng outside the gate of Songpan Ancient Town. This is a gathering place for Qiang, Hui, Tibetan and Han peoples. It is an ancient town with a light commercial atmosphere and full of Tibetan flavor. It is boring if you don't spend money to go up to the city tower.

By Hua Hongtai |

Maybe it was the off-season, so there were not many people. We just visited here, and the houses in the ancient city seemed to be newly built, without any special features.

By Chubby |

Although Songpan is an ancient city, most of the houses and walls have been repaired, leaving only a small section of the wall in its original state. There are still many aboriginals in the ancient city, most of whom believe in Islam, so almost all restaurants in the city are halal, where you can eat yak meat, barley cakes, and drink butter tea. Climbing the city wall is the only thing that requires a ticket, and you can see the scenery of the entire town from it, which is very beautiful. The only shortcoming is that the ancient city is a bit commercialized and not very pleasant. This is a typical plateau climate. We passed through Songpan in July. The shade was about 15 degrees cold, while the sun was burning.

By Kobe |

Songpan, formerly known as Songzhou, is a famous frontier town in history and an important town on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. It is known as the "Gateway to Western Sichuan" and was a place where troops were deployed in ancient times. Therefore, since the Han and Tang Dynasties, there have been customs officers and heavy troops stationed here. This is the origin of why it is called an ancient city.

Songpan used to be an important stop on the Jiuhuang Line. In the early years, most buses to Jiuzhaigou had to stay here for one night. With the convenience of transportation, travelers taking the Aba East Line often pass by this ancient and quiet town, and at most stop to have a meal. In fact, the ancient charm left by thousands of years of history in Songpan is no less than that of famous ancient cities such as Dali and Lijiang. Although most of the ancient monuments in the city have been destroyed and the city walls have been restored and newly built, the mark of time is difficult to be completely erased. The West City Gate and the earthen city wall standing on the hillside still reveal a sense of heaviness and spirituality in silence.

By Cappuccino |

Songpan, formerly known as Songzhou, is a famous frontier town in history. It is known as the "gateway to western Sichuan" and a place for military operations in ancient times. According to historical records, ancient Songzhou "strangles the Minling Mountains, controls the source of the Yangtze River, is adjacent to Helong on the left, and reaches Kangzang on the right", "shields the land of abundance and locks the Yin frontier", so since the Han and Tang Dynasties, there have been guards and heavy troops stationed here. At the same time, the ancient city of Songpan is also an important post station for the "tea-horse trade" of the Tibetan, Qiang, Hui and Han peoples with a long history. The ancient city of Songpan is divided into two cities, inner and outer, and there is a city gate between the two cities. The city wall is all built with blue bricks, which is solid and solid. Its thickness reaches 12 meters, which is the thickest in the country. During the Tang Dynasty, the Tubo leader Songtsen Gampo sent an envoy to Chang'an to propose marriage. The envoy passed by Songzhou and was detained by the state official. Songtsen Gampo was furious and personally led 200,000 soldiers to invade. Tang Dudu Han Xian was defeated. Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered the Minister of Personnel to lead the army to Songzhou. After the battle of Chuanzhu Temple, the Tang army won a great victory. After Songtsen Gampo returned to Tibet, he sent envoys to offer gold in exchange for marriage and reconciliation. Emperor Taizong explained the righteousness of the matter and married Princess Wencheng to Songtsen Gampo, which has been passed down through the ages. The stone statues at the gate of the ancient city are Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo.

By ʝσєу ℓαm |

拍拍照的地方, 旅行團必到

應該說我對歷史認識不深, 所以沒有太大感覺

By Empty to the Moon |

The real ancient city, when I went there, had basically not been repaired, and the city wall was a bit dilapidated, which well showed the original appearance of the ancient city. Similar to other less famous ancient cities in China, there is a circle of ancient city walls plus an antique block.

By Pirate Ambition |

On the way to Jiuzhaigou, we passed by Songpan Ancient City. You need to pay an additional 50 yuan to go up the city wall. As a stop for many direct buses to Jiuzhaigou, this place has become a full-fledged commercial street. Apart from the buildings and some local specialty goods, there is almost nothing to see. You need to have a pair of eyes to discover and take some small details.

By Lotus Leaves |

Many people say that living in Chuanzhu Temple is better than living in Songpan Ancient City, but I still like Songpan Ancient City very much. Although it is still under construction and some places are not satisfactory, it is still worth a visit. The ancient city is not big, with a city gate in the east, south, west and north. The statues of Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo are at the north gate. You can buy a ticket to climb up the city tower at the north gate. There is an urn at the south gate. The east gate is mainly for vehicles to enter and exit. The west gate is actually on the mountain, very high, very high. We thought it was a temple, but we found out that it was the west gate after asking. The night view of the north gate is better at night. The inns and food streets are mainly on the north street, and the south street is mainly the local vegetable market and shops, which can give you a glimpse of the lives of the locals. The Minjiang River runs through the city, and the ancient Songzhou Bridge connects the north and south streets.

By hero |

Songpan Ancient City, also known as Songzhou Ancient City, is now the county seat of Songpan County, Aba Prefecture. The altitude here is about 3,100 meters, and it is obviously cold. Fortunately, we have changed into "equipment". The ancient city wall is well preserved. Passing through the city gate is the county street, and there is no special surprise. It costs 60 yuan per person to climb the city tower, and the scenery is average.

By Lavender flowers in the master's house |

I'm not very interested in the ancient city, but I caught up with the Lantern Festival. Although I didn't stay there, friends who are interested in history and humanities should like it.

By tiger |

Four nationalities, Tibetan, Han, Qiang and Hui, live in one place. The most interesting thing is that the mosque doesn’t look like an ordinary one at all!

By M ☞ T |

Very good, all the food is delicious in any restaurant, not to mention the hand-pulled beef and mutton. . The soup of the world's best beef is really delicious, you can eat it however you want. . For accommodation, it's best to stay in the ancient city, it's much more interesting. . There is a special parking lot, right next to the city gate. If you go there in summer, remember to buy more fruits, such as cherries, which are much cheaper than in Chengdu. .

By The end of the summer |

Songpan, formerly known as Songzhou, is a famous frontier town in history. Now it has become a tourist attraction of the ancient city wall ruins and various small shops in the city. The altitude here is nearly 3,000 meters. The sky is not the light blue on our plains, but a deep blue, and it feels very close to the sky.

If you want to go up the city wall in Songpan Ancient City, you need to pay a ticket, but I definitely don't need to. An hour is enough to walk around the city and eat something. There are beef skewers for 10 yuan for 4 and lamb skewers for 10 yuan for 3. The taste is okay, but it's a bit salty. There are also Dicos and highland barley cakes. I feel that it is better to solve the problem of food and clothing here. Fatty also bought a cowboy hat for 10 yuan. The quality is not bad. Fatty has been wearing it for the next few days.

By ♡ Hey there, |

Mainly because the weather was good and my mood was good.

By Still today |

I passed by on the way to Huanglong Jiuzhaigou and it felt good.

By Traveling in China |

We passed by the ancient city of Songpan, but because it was not in our plan, we did not stop and just passed by. This small city is more famous because of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng.

By Anne519 |

Food and accommodation are very convenient, there are many accommodation options, the price is moderate, and the night view of the ancient city wall is beautiful.

By Blue Feather |

The accommodation is convenient, full of urban flavor, and the Han, Tibetan and Hui ethnic groups live in harmony.

By Walking big yingzi |

Walk around the outer perimeter of the ancient city, look at the ancient city wall, look at the statues of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng on the square, and recall a historical story. As for the ancient city, it is full of shops and is not very interesting.

By I_Love_K |

There is no need to enter the ancient city, and it feels good to walk around. There will be traffic jams in Songpan during the peak season, but fortunately the traffic police are responsible and will divert traffic in time.

By Sitting in the well ❁The sky is wide |

It was already noon when we drove from Chengdu to Songpan County, which took 5 hours. We visited this place in the afternoon, and the night view was still beautiful. The lights inside were not turned on until 7 o'clock.

By Youngs0909 |

The newly built ancient city, you can smell the paint when walking on the street, it's a bit of a copycat, not recommended

By Hare |

A nice place. If you have enough time, you can go up to the city for sightseeing. It is recommended to buy tickets online for a better price.

By Yang Fuping |

The Tibetan ancient city is worth a visit! The hygiene is OK.

By Rabbits running around |

Songpan Ancient City is newly built. The city wall and the ancient city are more commercial, so it is relatively clean. The food inside is also good and the price is not high. There are also good hotels. There are more self-driving tourists and those who want to go to Munigou.

By Xi Xiaoxuan |

Songpan is an important transit point, whether going to Jiuzhaigou or Ruoergai, it is a must-go. The ancient city is now well built.

By Warm |

Walk along the ancient city wall and experience the flavor of a thousand-year-old city

By GTX2050Ti |

Songpan Ancient Town is located in the southern part of Songpan County, and it is suitable to stroll around at night.

By Traveling to Chengdu with your kids |

We didn't go up the ancient city wall of Songpan Ancient City. This is the lunch place for this trip. The yak soup pot here tastes good. But I heard that the kebabs here are not yak kebabs...

By Watch it for you |

It feels like recalling the past in the drizzle, and the Qiang women in their local costumes are beautiful and charming.

By nancy |

There are many specialties, and there are many foods to eat. You can go there.

By Chen Jun |

I have visited many ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River, but they are too commercialized, with the same streets and similar shopping spots. Songpan Ancient Town gives me a sense of simplicity. I originally planned to visit it at night, but the itinerary could not be arranged at that time. What a pity!

By Wei Ying Zhang |

There is not much to see in Songpan Ancient City, but it is nice to walk around. We arrived at 4pm, and the hotel was only 5 minutes away from the pedestrian street. There is not much commercial atmosphere on the street, and it seems to be in the early stage of development. Most of the shops still serve local people. The price of fruits is similar to that of our place. You can find a local specialty restaurant on the pedestrian street to eat. I recommend Ruzainiuha and Tangguo. When you go out to play, you are most worried about not being able to eat vegetables. Eating this hot pot and eating some vegetables will make your stomach feel comfortable.

By brolin |

Just stop by and take a look. There is a commercial street inside (no different from Dali Foreigner Street or other commercial streets). At the city gate is a sculpture of a marriage alliance, with Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng. The word "Songzhou" was written by Zhao Puchu.

By wzp |

The ancient city of Songpan was formerly known as Songzhou. It was built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. Since ancient times, it has been a military fortress in the northwest Sichuan region and an important post station for the long-standing "tea-horse trade" among the Tibetan, Qiang, Hui and Han peoples.

By Yiren Tea |

The ancient Bianshui town has strong ethnic characteristics.

By Body and soul on the road |

This is the place where Songtsen Gampo married Princess Wencheng. Foodies here recommend the homemade bread sold on the roadside. It costs 5 yuan and is as big as your face and as thick as your fist. Remember to order the original flavor, which has a strong milky flavor.

By Xiao Xi-Ran-W |

Take the Jiantu bus to Jiuzhaigou and stop at Songpan Ancient Town. You can choose to walk on the city wall or walk into the city on your own. I personally don't think it's necessary to go on the city wall. In addition, don't buy barley cakes, they are really not delicious!

It is said that Songtsen Gampo stationed 200,000 troops here to attack the Tang Dynasty, but failed. However, he was able to marry Princess Wencheng.

It seems that you can hire a tour guide at the tourist service center, and maybe you can listen to some of the details.

By Memory of the Wind |

The ancient town is very commercialized. You can visit the ancient city wall, but you need a ticket.

By Zhang Shiqi Morning and Evening |

I won’t write any more after this, I’m too tired... Songpan is also worth a visit, a frontier fortress with beautiful frontier scenery.

By Renxus |

The ancient city on the plateau, the story of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng. It is worth going to experience it on the spot

By Thousand-eyed Bodhi |

I only took pictures outside and didn't go in, so there is no reference value. The slope inside is also quite steep.

By Snacks |

When standing in the ancient city, we can clearly feel that the temperature has dropped a lot compared to before. The wind is blowing, and the exposed skin is frozen immediately. The surrounding mountains are also covered with snow. This is also the last supply station before entering Jiuzhaigou in the off-season. There is a large supermarket in the ancient city, and we also bought gloves, earmuffs and other cold-resistant supplies here.


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