Forbidden City
The world’s large and well-preserved imperial palace is the Forbidden City. It was home to the emperors and empresses of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
While the Forbidden City functioned as the administrative centre of the country, it was off-limits to the public for 500 years, hence its title.
Great Wall
One of the Eight Wonders of the World, this immense wall (6,700km to be exact) was originally designed to defend against marauding nomads. The wall spans five provinces, winding across deserts, grasslands and mountains.
A lot of visitors see the Great Wall at Badaling, 70 kilometres northwest of Beijing. We recommend visiting the Great Wall on a weekday, as it attracts huge crowds on weekends.
Ming Tombs
The Ming Tombs, about 50 km northwest of Beijing, are the burial site of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors (1368 - 1644). Built over an area of 40 sq km, each tomb is placed at the foot of a separate hill and links with the other tombs by a road called the Sacred Way.
The Sacred Way is lined with 18 pairs of stone human figures and animals, which symbolize royal power and eternal strength.
The only tomb that has been excavated is Dingling Tomb, which holds Emperor Shenzong, the 13th emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
Temple of Heaven
Built in 1420, Temple of Heaven was heralded as an epitome of the evolution of the Chinese civilization and subsequently declared a World Heritage Site in 1998.
It is considered China’s large complex of sacrificial buildings, built originally for the use of the royalty, but now valued by both local and foreign tourists.
The main attraction at Temple of Heaven is the original architect’s symbolic interpretation of heaven. Like the dark blue-tiled roofs on each building and pillars which symbolizes the solar system. It was often visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasty for annual ceremonies of prosperous harvest.
Temple of Heaven is located in Beijing’s Xuanwu district, which is near Kerry Hotel, Beijing.
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is an immense courtyard that holds the reputation of being a large public square.
A variety of historical edifices surround the square. This includes the Chinese Revolution History Museum, Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum, the Great Hall of the People, and the Monument of the People’s Heroes.
Every day, an impressive flag-raising ceremony is performed at sunrise and sunset by a specially trained military battalion.