The Twin Pagodas of Suzhou are among the most unusual structures in the old town: two almost identical seven-storey brick pagodas standing just metres apart, built in the late 10th century during the Northern Song dynasty. Each one is slender and elegantly proportioned, and they mirror each other so closely that from certain angles they appear to merge. The surrounding garden is small but quiet, and the site is far less visited than the major gardens.
Both pagodas have been carefully restored and remain structurally sound. They are too narrow to enter, but the views from the courtyard below looking up at the paired towers against the sky make for one of the better photographs in Suzhou. The site includes a small exhibition on the history of the pagodas and the family that built them.