Lugou Bridge and Wanping Town: Stone Lions, the War Museum and a Fengtai Route
World Travel 编辑部 · 2026-09-11 · 7 min read
What you can take in in half a day
Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge) is a Jin-dynasty multi-arch stone bridge, famous for the countless stone lions on its pillars and for being one of the "Eight Views of Yanjing" — "Lugou dawn moon." Just east of the bridge, Wanping Town holds the Museum of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. On a first visit, treat it as "one bridge + one town": read the lions and balustrades on the bridge, then go into Wanping for the museum and old walls. Plan about 2.5–3 hours (museum interior extra).
el tigre estando en guardia
Photo: inte the husky · Taken on 2 · Source · CC BY 3.0
Location and opening
Lugou Bridge and Wanping Town are in Fengtai District, about 15–20 km southwest of the center. By metro, reach the Yuanboyuan/Wanpingcheng area then a bus or bike; exact lines follow bus and navigation apps. The bridge as a heritage site usually needs a ticket; the War Museum is free but mostly books in advance, with closing day (often Monday, except legal holidays) and release times following official notice. The two entrances differ — see the route below.
法国军队通过卢沟桥
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · 1901 · Source · Public domain
Route: bridge first, then town
Walk the bridge first: get on from the west end and read the pillar lions along the deck — folklore says they're "uncountable," really just dense carving with many postures; don't actually count, just look at a few typical mother-and-cub or playing lions. The deck is old — watch your step. Cross east into Wanping Town, walk a stretch of the walls, then see the War Museum inside. Exit the same way or loop, following on-site signs.
How to read the lions
Lugou's lions include pillar-top crouching lions and balustrade reliefs; layers of repairs across dynasties make styles uneven — that's normal. Focus on: the crouching lions atop pillars, the reclining and walking lions on the balustrades, and the bridge-end huabiao and stele pavilion. The stone is heavily weathered — don't climb or touch, to protect the relic and avoid damage. For photos, morning or evening raking light and fewer people beat noon.
The model (located in the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence) shows the eastern end of the Lugou bridge in Beijing, with the western gate o
Photo: Ahoiyin · 2009-08-12 · Source · CC BY-SA 3.0
Visiting the War Museum
The Museum of the War of Resistance is inside Wanping Town, a large factual museum — free but booked, and usually closed Mondays (except legal holidays). It's information-heavy; allow 1.5–2 hours dedicated, keep quiet and no flash. Exact exhibits, booking and opening follow the museum's official notice; this article doesn't replace it. With kids, it's a tangible history lesson, but the content is heavy — set your own pace.
First-visit notes
- Bridge needs a ticket; the War Museum is free but books, often closed Mondays (except holidays) — official.
- Route: west end on bridge → lions → cross into Wanping → walls → museum.
- Lions repaired across dynasties, uneven styles normal; don't climb or touch.
- Museum is information-heavy, allow 1.5–2 hours; heavy content, own pace.
Marco Polo-brons sydsida av västra landfästet
Photo: · · Source · CC BY-SA 3.0
