The Twin Pagoda Temple (officially Yongzuo Temple) in the southeastern part of Taiyuan city has two identically proportioned thirteen-storey brick pagodas built in the early 17th century that have served as the visual emblem of the city ever since. The pagodas stand close together in a small temple compound, and both are open for climbing — the internal staircases are steep and narrow, but the views from the upper levels over the city and the Fen River valley reward the effort.
The temple complex surrounding the pagodas is modest compared with the pagodas themselves — a few halls in reasonable condition, a garden of old trees, and the usual collection of steles. The pagodas themselves are architecturally refined: each storey has decorative brick eaves, carved windows, and a slightly tapering profile that gives them an elegance unusual in Ming religious architecture. The best view of both pagodas together is from the southern end of the compound at dawn or late afternoon.