West Sheshan Park (Xi She Shan)

The West Sheshan Park refers to the west division of the general Sheshan Park, which is lying next to its twin hill – the East Sheshan Park. The distance from West Sheshan Park to downtown is about 35 km.

In a region whose landform is dominated by vast plains, you can barely find a hill in a height over 100 meters, which leaves the West Sheshan Park (100.8 meters height) ranked 2nd highest among all other natural structures within Shanghai. (The tallest point is hit by the peak of Dajin Mountain in Jinshan District at a modest 103 meters) 

Covering a ground area of 0.2 square miles, the hill draws people's visits for its well-tended vegetation, historical heritage, the Astronomical Observatory, and the Catholic Church.

The historical heritage is situated at the hillside nearby the park's east entrance. Xiudaozhe Pagoda (also named Yueying Pagoda), is an ancient tower structure that has survived for more than 1,000 years. 

The Astronomical Observatory lying close to the peak is initially built by a French Catholicism missionary in 1900, after renovations and expansions over the last 100 years, the site has been established as China's first professional astronomy museum that has been furnished with giant astronomical domes and large modern telescopes, it can be considered the cradle of China's modern astronomy industry.

The Catholic Church is nested in magnificent baroque architecture next to the Astronomical Observatory, it is a major worship destination playing a big part in spreading the religion to the eastern part of the world.