Forbidden
City
The
world’s largest and best-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 6,700 kilometres wall was
originally designed to defend against marauding nomads.
The wall
spans 5 provinces, winding across deserts, grasslands and mountains.
Most
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
50
kilometres northeast of the city are the perfectly-preserved mausoleums of the
13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The site is culturally and historically
apprized for its long history, and palatial architecture.
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 largest 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. This includes dark blue-tiled roofs on each building
and pillars symbolizing 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 Traders Upper
East Hotel, Beijing.
Tiananmen
Square
Tiananmen
Square is an immense courtyard that holds the reputation of being the world’s
largest public square.
A
variety of historical edifices surround the square, including 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.