Kaiping Diaolou

Situated in Kaiping, about 130km from Guangzhou. The renowned Kaiping diaolous were massively built in the 1920s and the 1930s by overseas returnees in an attempt to show off wealth and defend against bandits. Diaolou is a special type of individual buildings fusing western and eastern architectural styles, and armed with defense mechanisms and residential functions. Some were built according to blueprints brought from abroad, some directly from the back of their minds and imagination. Styles that can be found on diaolous include traditional Chinese mountain peaks, suspended mountain styles, joined by Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, Gothic, Islamic, Baroque and Rococo elements. These styles from different nations and religions co-exist harmoniously in the Kaiping Diaolou, reflecting a unique blending of artistic charms.