Sightseeing Beijing

Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China, has historically been one of China's ancient capitals.Many magnificient buildings of classical styles can be found in here, featuring the acme of ancient architecture in China.Here I introduce some ?most famous tourist attractions in Beijing.

Tian'anmen Rostrum and Square

Located in the center of the city of Beijing, Tian'anmen is the symbol of the People's Republic of China. Started to be built in 1417, the 15th year under the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, the gate was the front gate of the Imperial City.
The Tian'anmen Square in front of it, running 880 meters from north to south and 500meters from east to west, covers an area of 44 hectares. Therefore, it is the largest square in the world. Monument to the People's Heroes is in the center of the Tian'anmen Square. It was erected in 1958 in memory of the people's heroes, who laid down their lives in numerous struggles against enemies both domestic and foreign for the national independence and liberation, and for the freedom and happiness of the Chinese people.

The Imperial Palace

Located in the center of Beijing, the former Imperial Palace, also known as the Purple Forbidden City, was the royal palace for the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the largest and most well-preserved complex of palaces in China, as well as the largest group of palaces in the world. In almost 500 years in the past since its completion in 1420, it had been used by the 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to rule over the country. Covering an area of 720,000 square meters (about 250 acres), it has a floor space of 155,000 square meters with more than 890 palace buildings containing over 9,000 rooms of various sizes. The palace museum holds a great number of historical and cultural relics as well as precious works of art. Therefore, it is the largest museum of culture and art in China.

Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Haven is the largest intact altar temple of China. Located in the south of the city of Beijing, the Temple of Heaven used to be a place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to do worshipping and offering sacrifices to heaven to pray for good harvests and fine rain.

The Summer Palace

Spreading out some 15 kilometers away from the city center in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, the Summer Palace occupies an area of 290 hectares in total. Being a summer resort of the Qing royal family the Summer Palace is the most intact, the best preserved and the largest of its kind of the classical gardens in the country.

The Great Wall

The Great Wall, so far as its gigantic scale and difficulties in its construction are concerned, is beyond doubt a civil engineering project of defence, the greatest of its kind in ancient China. In the area of Beijing, there are three sections of the Great Wall for visitors to enjoy. One is the Great Wall at Badaling, the Juyong Pass, and the Great Wall at Mutianyu.

The Ming Tombs

Located at the southern foot of the Tianshou Mountain in Changping District in the north western suburban areas of Beijing, the Ming Tombs cover an area of 40 square kilometers with 13 Ming emperors buried here. With the Changling Tomb renowned for its magnificent buildings and the Dingling for its wonderful excavations, the area of the Ming Tombs has now become one of the most famous tourist attractions in Beijing.

The Yonghegong Lamasery

Located in the northeast corner of the city proper, the Yonghegong is a famous lamasery in Beijing. Though witnessed a vicissitudes of over 300 years it has so far still retained a strict style of Lamaism, and is one of the important pieces of cultural relics under the national protection.