“上有天堂，下有苏杭”。这是中国人自苦赞美杭州的民谚。 “杭州，世界上最美丽华贵的天城”。这是十三世纪意大利著名旅行家马可.波罗对杭州的赞叹。从此，杭州名扬海外。 相传大禹到会稽（今绍县）赴诸候大会，在此“舍航（杭）登陆”，因称“禹杭”，日后讹传成“余杭”。春秋时为吴越争霸之地。秦始皇统一六国，初设钱塘县于灵隐山下。秦始皇东巡曾到过这里，还留下秦望山和秦皇缆舟石遗迹。隋开皇九年（589），始称杭州，设县治于江干一带。隋大业六年（610），隋炀帝开凿江南大运河，“咽喉吴越，势雄江海”，对杭州经济文化的发展意义重大，使杭州成为“骈樯二十里，开肆三万家”的“东南名郡”，日趋繁荣，与广州、扬州并列为国内三大通商口岸。北宋统一全国，杭州遂发展成“重湖叠献清嘉”、“参差十万人家”的“地有湖山美”的“东南第一洲”。 杭州是历史上七大古都之一。公元907年，吴越王钱鏐在此建都，历三代五帝，七十二年雄据一方，筑罗城、子城、重视水利、兴修海塘，发展海运，终以经济富足、文化荟萃傲踞东南，和日本、新罗等国开始友得到逐步改造，市政交通建设变化日新月异，新建的一环城路、庆春街、西湖大道等一条条崭新道路，敞开了宽广的胸膛；杭州世贸中心、黄龙体育中心、浙江图书馆等现代化建筑似雨后春笋拨地兴起；庆春、艮秋、中河等高架立交似彩龙绕市；新建朝晖、采荷、大关、古荡等一百多个住宅小区，绿荫中竖立幢幢新楼，使百万市民告别陋室搬入新居。沪杭甬、浙赣铁路已建成复线；杭温铁路已开通；沪杭甬、京杭、杭金衢已建成高速公路；钱江二、三、四桥的新建以用具有现代化设施的铁路杭州站、萧山国际机场的启用，使杭州至国内外的海、陆、空交通更为便捷。 现在，杭州已获得“国家卫生城市”、“全国双拥模范城”、“全国园林城市”、“中国优秀旅游城市”、“全国绿化造林优秀城市”、“全国环境综合整治优秀城市”、“全国科教兴市先进城市”、“全国创建文明城市工作先进城市”、“全国创建文明城市工作先进城市”等八项全国性荣誉称号。特别是“2000年中国杭州二届西湖博览会”的举行，进行了二十多项国际精品会展，打出了“学在杭州、创业在杭州、住在杭州、游在杭州”，使杭州走向世界，更让世界了解杭州杭州之美，美在山水秀丽、风景如画的西湖之颗明珠。杭州西湖是我国三十一处（一说“天下西湖三十六”）以“西湖”命名的湖泊中最引人入胜的一处。 地质学家竺可桢认为，西湖是在一万二千年以前形成的“泻湖”。古老的神话中有“西湖明珠自天降，龙飞凤舞到钱唐”的说话，西湖才有了“明珠”这雅号。关于“西湖”的名称最早始于唐朝。汉时称武林水、时圣湖；唐时称龙川、钱源、钱塘湖、上湖等。到了北宋，诗人苏东坡当杭州太守时，他在《饮湖上初晴后雨》七绝中赞美西湖说：“欲把西湖比西子，淡妆浓抹总相宜。”于是，西湖又多了个“西子湖”的美称。 从山洪过冲积的泻湖到波光漪涟的西湖，历史上有过不少贤人治理西湖的记载，其中数唐白居易、北宋苏东坡、明杨孟瑛、清李卫、阮元的功绩最为显著，并在西湖上留下白堤、苏堤和湖中三岛等胜景。如今的西湖，东西宽二点八公里，南北长三点三公里，周长十五公里，面积六点零三平方公里，其中水域面积为五点六六平方公里。西湖平均水深一点八米，最深处为二点八米。西湖中的苏堤和白堤，将整个西湖划为外湖、北里湖、岳湖、西里湖、小南湖等五个湖面。外湖的三潮印月（即小瀛洲）、湖心山谷；倒坍七十多年的雷峰塔正在兴建，“一湖映双塔”，“雷峰夕照”的景观也将重现。二十世纪八十年代，西湖又评选出“云栖竹径”、“满陇桂雨”、“虎跑梦泉”、“龙井问茶”、“九溪烟树”、“吴山天风”、“阮墩环碧”、“黄龙吐翠”、“玉皇飞云”和“宝石流霞”等“新西湖十景”。西湖这颗东方明珠更加绚夺目，成为世界的文化遗产，国际友人向往的旅游胜地。 |
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Ideal for business or pleasure, the Radisson Plaza Hotel, Hangzhou is located in the heart of the city's dynamic business and entertainment area, minutes away from the timeless beauty of the West Lake. |
About Hangzhou
At a mere 2200 years old, Hangzhou is not China's oldest city, but its distinctive beauty has attracted many, from emperors to famed Venetian traveler, Marco Polo. As the capital of the Zhejiang province, Hangzhou owes its birth to the construction of Xi Hu (West Lake) and China's historic Grand Canal, which plays a crucial role in trade and stretches over 1000 miles from Beijing. Many of the city's historic and most visited attractions also pepper the lakeside and canal banks. Hangzhou was China's imperial capital from 1138 until 1279, and subsequent emperors favored the city, building resort villas along the waterways. The "Ten Sights of West Lake" offer inspiring scenery and poetic names like "Peak that Flew From Afar." History aficionados will find the ancient Buddhist Lingyin Temple and Six Harmonies Pagoda, a national relic built in 970, on their list of favorite places. Museums such as the National Silk Museum and the Chinese Medicine Museum offer glimpses of the city's past and a fuller understanding of its present. After the sun goes down on picturesque West Lake, visitors will find plenty to occupy them in the city. Louwailou (Tower Beyond Tower) is one of the oldest and best restaurants in town for Hangzhou cuisine. The nightlife scene is also appealing, offering a network of intimate bars or lively discos. Shopping venues abound, from the silk wholesale market known as Hangzhou Silk City to upscale shopping centers like Hangzhou Mansion Department Store. Fusing ancient history and modern city conveniences, Hangzhou is sure to enchant travelers who want to experience China.
Did you know?
Hangzhou has four distinct seasons, boasting generally mild temperatures for each. During the summer months of June, July and August, temperatures can climb as high as the low 90s (F), and during the coldest winter months of December, January and February, they can drop to the low 30s (F).