Gate to the East, Suzhou

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The Gate to the East, also called the Gate of the Orient, is a 301.8 m skyscraper in Suzhou, in China's Jiangsu province. It is the second-tallest building in Suzhou after Suzhou IFS and stands in the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park, beside Jinji Lake. It is made of two towers joined at the top to form a giant arch.

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At a glance

Country: China
Location: Suzhou, China
Built: 2016
Height: 302 m
Type: Skyscraper

Quick answers

Where is Gate to the East, Suzhou?

Gate to the East, Suzhou is in Suzhou, China.

When was Gate to the East, Suzhou built?

Gate to the East, Suzhou was built in 2016.

How tall is Gate to the East, Suzhou?

Gate to the East, Suzhou is about 302 m tall.

A 302 m arch of two towers joined at the top, standing by Jinji Lake.

It was meant to be a symbol of a gateway to the city and to show Suzhou's continuing importance in modern China. Work began in 2004, and the building was completed in 2016 at a cost of about $700 million. It stands in the heart of the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park district.

A gate with a nickname

The design drew jokes from many Chinese internet users and Western media, who said it looks like a pair of trousers. This led to a flood of online parodies.

Its location marks the meeting point of Suzhou Old Town's historical east-west axis. Its location is meant to mark the crossing of Suzhou Old Town's historic east-west axis with Jinji Lake, so it works as a gateway to the city.

What is in it

Under the towers is a low building that adds office space, serviced apartments, a luxury hotel and a large shopping mall. It is a mixed-use development, which means many different uses share one project.

The Suzhou Metro has a station named Dongfangzhimen right at the site. A low-rise building extends from the base of the twin towers, so the whole complex works like a small city inside the park.