What European architectural styles influenced buildings at the Yuanmingyuan?

The Yuanmingyuan (Garden of Pure Light) featured buildings influenced by European architectural styles, specifically Baroque and Rococo designs.12

At the request of the Qianlong emperor, Jesuit missionaries—including Giuseppe Castiglione—designed these structures, which were often described as Sino-Rococo or a modified Italian style. While these buildings incorporated European aesthetic elements, such as fountains reminiscent of those at Versailles, they were frequently constructed with traditional Chinese roofs.12

These European-inspired additions were situated within Italianate gardens that also featured mechanical fountains designed by the Jesuit priest Michel Benoist. Despite their inclusion in the imperial grounds, these Western architectural styles remained a unique feature of the Yuanmingyuan and did not take root in broader Chinese architectural culture.23