The Summer
Palace - Imperial gardens
Yiheyuan Street
Haidian District
6288-1077
The Summer Palace’s is known
as one of the most tranquil places in the city of Beijing. Lakeside
gardens and elegant pavilions adorn this grand imperial palace. It was
originally built as a summer home for the emperor. Nowadays the gardens,
pavilions, bridges, and towers receive hundreds to thousands of visitors.
A curious feature in Summer Palace is the marble replica of a Mississippi
steamboat.
Yonghe Gong - Tibetan
Lama Temple
Yonghegong Dajie A little
touristy, but worth the journey for the colorful halls, mandalas and notable
display of statuary.
The Great Wall
Well recognized throughout
the world, China’s Great Wall is a symbol of the ancient Chinese culture
and civilization. Originally the wall was built as a means of defending
the city.
Palace Museum of Beijing
The Forbidden City - Imperial
palaces
6513-1892
Twenty-four emperors of
the Ming and Qing dynasties lived in this palace city, officially making
it the home of China’s emperors for five centuries. The Palace Museum,
formerly known as the Forbidden City, lies in the heart of modern Beijing.
Built in the early 1400’s, the structure is impressive with more than 9,000
rooms and halls containing many precious relics – making it the largest
architectural palace in the world.
Ming Tombs
The Ming Tombs are located
one an area measuring about 40 square kms. The mausoleum houses 13
Ming emperors. Of the tombs only two are actually open to the public.
The most famous and perhaps the most thrilling is the Dingling. Curious
enough, Dingling is practically an underground palace.
Tian'anmen Square
Tian'anmen Square is located
in the heart of Beijing. Tian'anmen Square is noted as one of the
largest parks as well as one of the largest city squares in the world.
The history of the square dates back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, when
Tian'anmen was the front gateway to the imperial palace.
The Temple of Heaven
Tiantan Road and Chongwenmenwai
Street
Chongwen District
6702-8866
Located on Tiantan Park,
this dazzling temple built in 1420 is said to be the place where emperors
if the Ming and Qing dynasties would pray to Heaven. As stories tell it,
the emperors would perform ceremonies in honor of the god of harvests –
this would be done in order for good harvests that season. The Temple’s
primary structure has become a well-recognized symbol of Beijing.
Yonghegong Lamasery
Yonghegong Lamasery was
built in 1694. Its structure resides as one of the largest lamaseries in
Beijing.
Coal Hill (Jing Shan Park)
A royal garden of the Ming
and Qing dynasties, Jingshan Park was formed from the soil excavated to
create the moat around the Forbidden City. It is one of the best
places for a panoramic view of the whole city. The Ten Thousand Springs
Pavilion is located at its summit.
Beihai Park
Another imperial garden,
the Beihai Park was the imperial garden of the Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming and
Qing dynasties. It is noted as one of the oldest of the Chinese gardens.
Yuanmingyuan
Yuanmingyuan was once an
impressive imperial palace built during the Qing Dynasty. Unfortunately,
all that remains of the palace is ruins. The grounds of Yuanmingyuan are
well preserved and open to the public.
Beijing Zoo
137 Xizhimenwai, Xicheng
District
6831-4411
The Beijing Zoo is the oldest
zoo in China. Some 5,000 animals live there and features a wide variety
of animals. The panda house is the only place in Beijing where visitors
can see giant pandas. Some of the animals that are featured are the
golden monkey, the white-lipped deer, the red-crowned crane, and many other
rare animals from all over the world.
Marco Polo Bridge
This structure was erected
in 1189. It is the oldest and grandest arch bridge in Beijing
Hutongs
A hutong is a kind of street
lined on both sides by courtyards containing compound houses. Hutongs are
a special feature of downtown Beijing. The hutongs (alleyways) were created
by the traditional Beijing courtyard-style architecture
Museum of Chinese History
6512-8986
Located just off the northeast
corner of Tiananmen Square, this museum displays more than 9,000 ancient
Chinese relics, including bronze pieces dating back 5,000 years. The museum
shares the same building as the Museum of the Chinese Revolution. This
museum features cultural artifacts from 1919 to 1949.
Beijing Amusement Park
1 Zuoanmennei Dajie
Chongwen District
6711-1155.
Beijing Amusement Park,
in Longtan Park, has live entertainment, rides, a water-screen show, paddleboats,
bumper cars and roller coasters.
Capital Museum (Confucius
Temple)
Guozijian Jie, Andingmennei,
Dongcheng
6401-2118
In a former imperial temple
and Confucian civil-service university, this was where China’s best and
brightest came to serve the state
Blue Zoo Beijing
(Gongti Nanlu), Chaoyang
District
6593-5263
This international-class
aquarium is great for the kids. The main attraction is a 140-yard-/130-meter-long
moving walkway that swirls around underneath the main tank, with sharks
swimming overhead. The museum focuses on such marine issues in China as
the damming of the Yangtze River and the slaughter of sharks for shark-fin
soup.
Miraculous Amusement Palace
Chaoyang Park
Chaoyang District
6506-6382
Wax exhibitions and scenery
depict episodes from the famous Chinese story A Journey to the West, featuring
the monk, the pig, the monkey and the warrior.
Beijing Museum of Natural
History
126 Tianqiao Nandajie
Chongwen District
6702-4431
The largest of its kind
in China, this museum contains fossils or specimens of almost all plants
and animals found in China.
The Central Park of Beijing
1 Wenjin St.,
Xicheng District
6404-0610.
Beihai Park has an 800-year
history as the royal garden of the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
The park is grand and sprawling, with some beautiful plantings, a lake
and paddleboats for rent.
Beijing Recreation Center
Beisihuanzhong Road, Andingmenwai
6499-3434
Watery fun including a wave
pool, simulated river, three slides and a “fast slippery dip” (a steep
water slide). A sports complex provides bowling, squash, tennis,
roller-skating, disco dancing, billiards and a sauna.
Chinese Geology Museum
15 Yangrou Hutong
Xisi Nandajie
6617-6387
Chinese Geology Museum displays
minerals, gems and Paleozoic plants and plenty of animals. A great
place for family fun!
China Art Gallery
China’s national museum
of art has permanent displays of works by Chinese artists and frequent
shows by foreign artists.
Contemporary Art Gallery
123 Longfusi St
6401-7659.
A great place to view the
national museum’s collection of China’s leading contemporary artists.
White Cloud Temple
6 Baiyunguan JieXibianmenwai
Xuanwu District
6346-3531
White Cloud Temple also
known as Tianchang Temple. It is the largest Taoist temple in Beijing and
the center of Taoism in north China.
