Fodor's Expert Review Gude Si (Gude Temple)

Well off the tourist circuit is this quite stunning temple, built in 1877 towards the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is the only Buddhist temple in the entire country that combines Gothic, Roman, Indian, Chinese, and Burmese styles (the main hall was designed to look similar to Ananda Temple in Bagan), and the result is quite striking. The temple was visited by Sun Yat-sen in 1912 and Indian Prime Minister Nehru in 1954. It suffered destruction during the Cultural Revolution and did not re-open until 1996, though many of its buildings remain damaged and unopened. The temple is less than 10 minutes' walk from the Todai Jie metro stop.