White Pagoda Hill above the north bank

The park rises from the north bank of the Yellow River, directly across from the old city. Local heritage accounts say the white pagoda originated in the Yuan period and was rebuilt in the Ming, with the present structure associated with the Jingtai era. The hill’s name comes from this tower, visible from the river and from Zhongshan Bridge. The layered history of the site is visible in the contrast between an older religious landmark and the modern city below.

White Pagoda Hill also contains a calligraphy stele gallery centered on Caosheng Pavilion. Its corridors display inscriptions by historical and contemporary calligraphers, many drawing on poetry and writing from Gansu. A panoramic relief and the Qing-period painting Jin Cheng Lan Sheng preserve older views of Lanzhou, including the hill, the south-bank mountain and a pontoon bridge. These works let visitors compare a drawn cityscape with the one spread across the river today.

From Zhongshan Bridge, the pagoda is a clear marker on the north slope; from the hill, the bridge anchors the river crossing below. The relationship between the two landmarks gives the waterfront its recognizable composition. The hill offers a slower perspective on the river valley, with roofs and roads arranged along the banks. It also supplies historical context for the crossing: before the iron bridge, ferries and pontoon bridges linked Lanzhou’s banks. The pagoda and bridge together make the north-bank landscape readable across different periods.