Pazhou Pagoda (Chinese: 礭瑆娥; pinyin: P?zh?u t?), also called Whampoa Pagoda by the westerners, is an ancient Chinese Pagoda located in Haizhu District, Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, China. Constgruction of the Pazhou Pagoda started in 1597 and was completed in 1600. The pagoda is situated on a knoll at the south bank of the Pearl River. Although it was built as a Buddhist landmark, it was also a useful navigation point for merchant ships travelling to Canton (Guangzhou). It is an octagonal tower with 9 main sections and 17 sub sections. The tower stands at about 59 metres and has a diameter at the base of 12.7 metres. It covers a total area of 111 square metres.