Dragon Pavilion occupies the site of the Northern Song imperial palace on a raised platform at the centre of Kaifeng. The current building is a Qing-dynasty structure, not a Song survivor, but it commands the same view over the city that Song emperors once enjoyed, and it's flanked by two artificial lakes — Pan Lake to the west and Yang Lake to the east — that give the complex a surprisingly grand, watery setting. Colourful willows and lotus plantings make the lakeside walk one of the more pleasant strolls in the city.
The park is large and takes a couple of hours to walk properly. Beyond the main pavilion, the grounds contain several smaller halls, pavilions, and gardens, as well as exhibition spaces covering the site's Song dynasty history. Entry is ¥50. The best time to visit is late afternoon, when the light comes from the west and turns the lake surface golden; the morning can be hazy. The pavilion's position is a deliberate echo of the Song palace: you enter from the south, walk a processional route, and arrive at a building that still commands the city's skyline.