Sightseeing OverviewOver the centuries, Beijing has suffered the effects of war and revolution, large-scale industrialization and a building boom to meet the demands of a growing, modern Olympic city. Skyscrapers loom over colorful temples and the intimate courtyards of the rapidly-vanishing
hutongs, while traffic crawls along the streets surrounding tranquil parks. Beijing used to be a walled city but little remains now apart from the grand
Tiananmen and
Qianmen gates, located at either end of
Tiananmen Square. The vast imposing square is home to the
Great Hall of the People, China’s parliament, the
Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, where the body of Chairman Mao rests, the
Monument to the People’s Heroes, an obelisk depicting major events of the revolution and a giant Olympic countdown clock.
Beijing’s key attractions are listed below, but the city and its surrounds are historically and culturally rich. If time allows, it is worth including the
Old Observatory on an itinerary. Established by Kublai Khan, it is now a museum with an extensive collection of Ming and Qing dynasty bronze astronomical instruments. The
Beijing Zoo is the world-famous home of the giant pandas and merits a visit, as does the
Marco Polo Bridge in the south west of the city. To the northwest, the
798 Factory Art District at Dashanzi (website:
www.798space.com) is gaining global recognition for its portfolio of galleries and art museums showcasing the works of China’s much-in-demand new breed of contemporary artists. Away from the center, most visitors go to
Badaling (see
Excursions) to walk on the Great Wall, but another less-touristy section at
Mutianyu, to the northeast of the city, has spectacular views and fewer people. It is worth including
Zhou Kou Dian (Peking Man Site), 48km (30 miles) southwest of Beijing, the site where skulls dating back between 200,000 and 500,000 years were found in 1929. The original fossils were lost during World War II, but there is an interesting museum housing many implements and animal bones from that period.
Tourist InformationBeijing Tourism Administration 28 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
Tel: (10) 8516 2288.
Website:
www.bjta.gov.cn The
Beijing Tourism Administration office organizes a host of city tours and excursions. There is also a tourist office just off Wangfujing Dajie shopping street (near
Crowne Plaza hotel), which doubles up as an IATA-approved travel agency and tour operator:
Beijing Tourist Information Office, 10 Dengshikou Dong Jie, Dongcheng District (tel: (10) 6512 3043).
China International Travel Service (CITS) 1 Dongdan Dajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: (10) 6522 2991.
Website:
www.cits.net There is also a 24-hour tourist telephone hotline (tel: (10) 6513 0828) for information and emergencies.
PassesThere are no tourist passes in Beijing.
Key Attractions:Tiananmen Square Located at the heart of modern Beijing, the vast
Tiananmen Square was renovated during the first half of 1999, in preparation for the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Attractions in the square include the
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, where Mao Zedong’s preserved body is on display, the
Museum of the Revolution, the
Great Hall of the People and the entrance to the
Forbidden City.
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall Opening hours: Sun-Tues 0830-1130 and Wed-Fri 1400-1600.
Free admission.
China National Museum Opening hours: Daily 0900-1530.
Admission charge.
Great Hall of the People Opening hours: 0830-1500, but closed during government meetings.
Admission charge.
Forbidden City Built in the 15th century, the
Forbidden City (or
Palace Museum) is a vast complex of courtyards, halls, pavilions and gardens, which was home to 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It now houses a vast collection of priceless relics, including paintings, ancient pottery and bronzes, and is one of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city.
Tiananmen Square
Tel: (10) 6513 2255.
Website:
www.dpm.org.cn Opening hours: Daily 0830-1700 (10 Apr-14 Oct); 0830-1630 (15 Oct-31 Mar).
Admission charge.
Temple of Heaven Just south of Tiananmen Square, the
Temple of Heaven (located within
Temple of Heaven Park) is China’s largest temple complex, built in the 15th century and used for prayer by the emperor to ask for good harvests. The architecture of the temple is exquisite and the roofs are covered with blue glazed tiles. The grounds of this UNESCO World Heritage Site also contain the
Echo Wall, which carries the merest whisper.
Tian Tan Lu (north gate entrance)
Tel: (10) 6702 8866.
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1800; daily 0600-2000 (park).
Admission charge.
Lama Temple Located in the northeast of the city, the
Lama Temple, built in the late 17th century, used to be a center of learning for the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Lamaism. Today, there are about 70 monks (or lamas) in residence. The temple consists of a series of halls, connected by courtyards. An impressive 18m (59ft)
Maitreya, carved from a single sandalwood tree, stands in the furthermost hall, which is accessible to the public.
Yonghe Gong Dajie
Tel: (10) 6904 4494.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1630.
Admission charge.
Drum Tower and Bell Tower Every Chinese city once had drum and bell towers that were used to advise citizens of the time of day and announce curfews. The Beijing
Drum Tower, in the north of the city, was originally built in the 13th century and reconstructed around 1420 when the
Bell Tower was first built. The towers, which are quite different in style, offer good views across Beijing.
Di’an Men Wai Dajie
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700.
Admission charge.
Summer Palace The
Summer Palace in the northwestern suburbs, was used by the royal court as a retreat to escape from the heat of the city and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recently the recipient of a pre-Olympic makeover, the former imperial residences are located on the shores of Kunming Lake, which contains small islands, ornamental bridges and a marble boat that was once a teahouse. The Summer Palace is best reached by taxi.
Northwest suburbs
Tel: (10) 6288 1610.
Opening hours: Daily 0630-1800 in summer, 0700-1730 in low season.
Admission charge.
Further Distractions:Beihai Park Beihai Lake covers almost half of the 67-hectare (168-acre)
Beihai Park and is a popular place for skating in winter and boating in summer.
Qiong Hua Island (Jade Flowering Island), in the southern end of the lake, is reached by an arched marble bridge and is home to a Tibetan Buddhist shrine (the
White Dagoba) and the
Temple of Eternal Peace.
Wenjin Jie
Opening hours: Daily 0600-2100 (park); daily 0900-1600 (halls and temples).
Admission charge.
Jingshan (Prospect Park) Located immediately to the north of the Forbidden City,
Jingshan contains
Coal Hill, which enjoys superb views over the golden rooftops of the imperial buildings. One of the five pavilions on the summit,
Wan Chun Ting (Pavilion of 10,000 Springs), used to be the highest point in the city.
Jingshan Qian Jie
Opening hours: Daily 0600-2130.
Admission charge.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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