Yantai Mountain Scenic Spot locates at the north of Yantai City, which is surrounded by the sea on three sides. There is a beacon tower built during the Ming Dynasty on the mountain. The lighthouse on the top of the mountain is the landmark of Yantai. Standing on the lighthouse, people will have panoramic views of the coast and the city.
History of Yantai Mountain
Yantai Mountain is original the ancient barren hills, which is 53.5 meters above sea level, covering an area of 7.07 hectares. Yantai Mountain locates on the north coast of the city, thus local people called it as "North Mountain".
In 1398 of Ming Dynasty, in order to prevent the Japanese pirates from attacking, many beacon towers were built on the "North Mountain". When the enemy was founded, the smoke would rise by fire, as the alarm.
After the opening of Yantai port in 1862 during the Qing Dynasty, 16 countries including Britain, America, France and Japan successively built consulates, churches and post offices on the Yantai Mountain. These old buildings are all in Western styles. The appearances of the historical architectures are very beautiful and unique.
In 1866, the dock was built in the western part of Yantai Mountain. The light tower and flagpole were built on the pier to guide the ships.
In 1905, a lighthouse was built on the mountain. Since then, other names of the mountain have gradually disappeared. During the early 20th century, Yantai Mountain and its surroundings had formed a large-scale modern architectural group.
In 1988, Yantai Mountain Scenic Spot was officially established. Since 2002, more protection works and expanding projects have been carried out in the scenic area.
Highlights at Yantai Mountain
Longwang Temple was built during the Ming Dynasty by the locals, with the purpose to pray for rain and the decent harvest. In 2000, the Longwang Temple was repaired again, to restore the original appearance of this centuries-old temple.
The Bing Xin Memorial Hall is exhibited and arranged based on the former residence of an official governor. The hall displays Bing Xin's manuscripts, works, photos and real objects, reproducing Bing Xin's strong love with Yantai. Bing Xin is an outstanding Chinese literary master in the 20th century, a loyal patriot as well as a well-known social activist. She has made outstanding contributions to the cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. For her, Yantai is the hometown of the soul and influences her quite a lot in her growth.
There is an ancient Golden Rain Tree on the mountain. With a history of more than 600 years, the tree is still very lush and majestic nowadays.