Plan at a glance
Location, ticket and hours
Iron Pagoda Park is at 210 Beimen Street in Shunhe Hui District, Kaifeng. The usual main entrance is the West Gate. An adult ticket costs CNY 30; the child and student discount ticket costs CNY 15. Holders of the Wansui Mountain annual pass or Kaifeng Tourism Annual Pass may enter free before 17:00 under the current rules. Daytime hours are roughly 08:30–18:00, with last entry at 17:30.
Suggested visit length
Allow 1–1.5 hours for the No. 1 Pagoda Under Heaven stele, Jieyin Hall, the Iron Pagoda, and the bonsai garden. If you join the Five Spirits Quest script game (《五灵寻境》), allow 3–4 hours according to the day's map, task start time, and NPC service. The script-game content changes with the service available that day.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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The Iron Pagoda and its history
The Iron Pagoda was originally called the Pagoda of Kaibao Temple and was built in 1049. Its red-brown glazed bricks give it an iron-like appearance. The pagoda is a protected historic building and is currently closed to interior visitors, so the main visit focuses on the tower itself, its reflection in the lake, and the surrounding historic setting.
Jieyin Hall and Iron Pagoda Lake
Jieyin Hall contains a Song-dynasty bronze Amitabha statue that is 5.14 metres high and weighs 12 tonnes. He Gong Pavilion stands in Iron Pagoda Lake. Visitors interested in historic buildings and relics can follow the central axis to the pagoda, then continue to the lake for views of the water and pavilion.
The optional script game
The Five Spirits Quest script game turns the park into a treasure-hunt route using a map, tasks, and NPC interactions. Whether maps, tasks, and redeemable items are available follows that day's service. It suits younger visitors who enjoy interactive games and families; visitors who only want to see the historic pagoda can follow the short route.
Build your day
A 1–1.5 hour heritage route
Enter through the West Gate. Follow the central axis to the No. 1 Pagoda Under Heaven stele and Jieyin Hall, continue to the Iron Pagoda for a closer look, and pass through the bonsai garden on the east side before leaving. Iron Pagoda Lake works either before the tower or near the end of the visit for photographs. The angle of the tower and its reflection changes with the weather and water surface.
This route focuses on the surviving historic building and Song-dynasty statue and does not include script-game tasks. The Iron Pagoda cannot be climbed; stay within the open visitor areas.
A 3–4 hour interactive route
If the script game is running, enter at around 10:30 to collect the map and join the activity at its scheduled start time. Once the tasks begin, you may need to walk back and forth around the park to find NPCs, answer questions, or complete small games before returning to the main sightseeing areas.
NPC availability, task content, and redemption arrangements change. If the service is not running, use the Iron Pagoda, Jieyin Hall, and Iron Pagoda Lake route instead. The script game involves more walking, so wear shoes suitable for a long visit.
A calm photography route
Start at the West Gate for a distant view of the Iron Pagoda, then cross to the far side of Iron Pagoda Lake for the tower and its reflection. When lotus flowers are in season, include the lotus pond and pagoda in the same composition. Light around 15:00–17:00 is often useful for the tower and traditional-style portraits, but the result depends on the weather.
Get there
Public transport
Bus routes 1, 3, 20, and 47 stop at “Iron Pagoda Park–Bus Company 1” (铁塔公园·公交一公司). Walk from the stop to the West Gate. When traffic is dense by the entrance, a shared bicycle can work for a short connection; park it only where permitted.
Entrance and nearby movement
The West Gate is the usual main entrance, so use “Iron Pagoda Park West Gate” as the navigation target. For Daxiangguo Temple, Shan-Shaan-Gan Guild Hall, or other old-city attractions, plan a separate bus or walking route; these places are not within the same park.
Know before you go
Ticket and last entry
The adult ticket is CNY 30, and the child and student discount ticket is CNY 15. Free-entry periods for annual-pass holders follow the current rules. Daytime hours are about 08:30–18:00, with last entry at 17:30. If you arrive late in the afternoon, see the Iron Pagoda and Jieyin Hall first.
Script-game availability
The map, NPCs, tasks, and redemption arrangements for the script game may change. If the service is limited, you can still complete a regular park visit. The game involves repeated walking, so leave it out if you want a lighter visit.
Light show and the tower interior
The park's light show is currently paused and should not be used as the basis for a night-visit plan. The Iron Pagoda interior is also closed to visitors. For night photography or lakeside activities, follow the areas open and the safety rules for that day.