Purple Mountain (紫金山, Zijin Shan) is the forested hill east of the city centre that contains most of Nanjing's major historical sights: the Ming Xiaoling Tombs, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the Linggu Temple, and the Nanjing Museum are all within or at the foot of the mountain. A cable car connects several of the main sites.
Walking among the sites is possible and rewarding — the forest is dense, the paths are good, and you can string together several of the attractions in a half-day or full-day route. The Plum Blossom Hill (Meihua Shan) at the foot of the mountain is extraordinary in late February and early March when thousands of plum trees are in bloom. In autumn, the hillside maple and ginkgo trees turn yellow and red.