Beijing, China — Where to Go
Beijing Sightseeing Overview
Beijing used to be a walled city but little remains now apart from the Tiananmen and Qianmen gates, located at the north and south ends of Tiananmen Square. The vast square is home to the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, where the body of Chairman Mao rests. Behind the Great Hall of the People, China's parliament, is French architect Paul Andreu's controversial domed National Theater for the Performing Arts. Heading east along Dongchang'an Dajie brings you to Rem Koolhaas' surreal twin-legged CCTV HQ building, nicknamed the ‘Glass Trousers'.
The Beijing Zoo is the world-famous home of the giant pandas and merits a visit, as does the Marco Polo Bridge in the southwest of the city. To the northwest is the rapidly expanding 798 Space, in the Dashanzi district, famed for its multitude of contemporary arts galleries and museums.
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. It is the site where skulls dating back between 200,000 and 500,000 years were found in 1929. The original fossils were lost during WWII, but there is an interesting museum housing many implements and animal bones from that period.
Beijing Tourist Information
Beijing Tourism Administration
11-2 Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang District
Tel: (10) 6417 6627.
Website: www.bjta.gov.cn
The Beijing Tourism Administration office organizes a host of city tours and excursions. There are several offices citywide, including at Beijing Railway Station (tel: (010) 6528 8448), and at the south gate of Beihai Park, 1 Wenjing Jie, Xicheng District (tel: (010) 6403 2726).
China International Travel Service (CITS)
1 Dongdan Dajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: (10) 6522 2991.
Website: www.cits.net
Beijing Sightseeing
There are no tourist passes in Beijing.
Beijing Sightseeing
There are no tourist passes in Beijing.
Key Attractions in Beijing, China
Tiananmen Square
Located at the heart of Beijing, the vast Tiananmen Square is the world's largest public square. Surrounding attractions include the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, where Mao Zedong's preserved body is on display, the Qianmen Gate, the Great Hall of the People and the entrance to the Forbidden City.
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
Tel: (10) 6513 2277.
Opening hours: Sun-Tues 0800-1200.
Free admission.
Great Hall of the People
Tel: (10) 6309 6935.
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 an impressive 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 (Apr-Oct); 0830-1630 (Nov-Mar).
Admission charge.
Temple of Heaven
Just south of Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven (located within the 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 whispering Echo Wall.
Tian Tan Lu (north gate entrance)
Tel: (10) 6702 8866.
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1800; daily 0600-2000 (park).
Admission charge.
Lama Temple
Northeast of the city, the Lama Temple, built in the late-17th century, was once 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.
Yonghedong Dajie
Tel: (10) 6904 4494.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1600.
Admission charge.
Drum Tower and Bell Tower
Every Chinese city once had drum and bell towers used to advise citizens of the time of day and to 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 strikingly different towers offer excellent views across Beijing.
Di'an Men Wai Dajie
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700.
Admission charge.
Summer Palace
The magnificent Summer Palace, in the northwestern suburbs, was used by the royal court as a retreat to escape the heat of the city and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. 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, 0700-1700 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.
