The imperial legacy, the memory of the creators of the revolution and modern trends in architecture - such is the current Beijing. The Forbidden City is located at arm's length from Mao Zedong's mausoleum and the "egg" - an opera house built in a futuristic style. By some miracle, local authorities find a place to build skyscrapers and parks. And they do it while preserving the hutongs - old alleys and classical Chinese buildings.
Crowded Beijing is always noisy, so planning a relaxing holiday when visiting this city is pointless. However, on weekdays, you can enjoy the relative silence in temple complexes or in the midst of nature. For a metropolis, there are quite a few green zones here, and moreover, vast in area.
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What to see and where to go in Beijing?
The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
Forbidden City
The palace complex has an area of 720 thousand square meters and includes 980 buildings. According to these indicators, he has no equal in the world. It was the main residence for 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for almost 500 years. After Pu Yi's abdication and revolution, the Forbidden City in 1925 became a museum that houses the treasures of the imperial houses. The first of the Chinese sites to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The great Wall of China
The main Chinese landmark, which, according to legend, can be seen from space. Construction began in the 3rd century BC. It was of great defensive importance. The thickness of the walls varies from 5 to 8 meters, and the height is from 6 to 10 meters. It was constantly being completed until the middle of the 17th century. The length at the moment is more than 21 thousand km. Badalin is the most visited site by tourists. It runs near Beijing.
Tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors
The complex of mausoleums is located on the slopes of the Tianshou Mountains. Thirteen emperors of the Ming dynasty, starting with Zhu Di, found rest here. Together with the tombs of the Qing Dynasty, it is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The road to the mausoleums is decorated with statues of animals and mythical creatures. The place was chosen for burials by Zhu Di himself, who moved the country's capital to Beijing. During the construction, the principles of feng shui were adhered to.
Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)
Built in 1420 and located in a park area. The rounded features of the temple building are not typical for China. It is believed that this is how the authors of the project tried to symbolize the sky. On the day of the winter solstice, the emperor himself prayed for the harvest here. The tradition has existed for several centuries. Now the temple and monastery complex is one of the largest in the country. Its area is about 280 hectares.
Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
It is both the residence of the emperor and the park area. Construction was carried out in the middle of the 18th century. The architectural ensemble is located at the eastern gate. And on the Mountain of Longevity stands the Tower of Incense, which was erected in honor of the Buddha. The complex of canals, gazebos, a painted gallery, artificial lakes and islands is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design. Since 1998 it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Changlan Gallery
It is located on the territory of the Summer Palace and connects its separate parts. Erected in 1750, it was almost completely destroyed a century later, but restored. The special feature of this covered passage is 273 sections, which, among other things, contain images of battle scenes and landscapes. The total number of plots is about 14 thousand. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Tiananmen Square
The central square of Beijing was the largest until the 20th century. It is spread over 440 thousand square meters. Here Mao Zedong proclaimed the formation of the PRC. It is also known for sad events, for example, the group self-immolation of 2001, or the suppression of the 1989 protests. Sightseeing: Mao Zedong Mausoleum, National Heroes Monument, Gate of Heavenly Peace, National Center for the Performing Arts.
Gate of Heavenly Peace
The main entrance to the Imperial City. Built in 1420, they were damaged several times, including by a lightning strike, and restored. In the past, the decrees of the emperor were read about them. The ruler of the Celestial Empire himself went through the gates to pray and leave the sacrifices. In the 20th century, a portrait of Mao Zedong was hung over the gate, and on the sides there were two posters with slogans and wishes to the Chinese people.
Mausoleum of Mao Zedong
Built by 1977 in Tiananmen Square. A coffin with the remains of Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party for many years, has been installed in the Visitors' Hall. The Hall of Revolutionary Achievements tells about politics and his associates during the coup. There is a marble statue of Mao in the North Hall, and images of Chinese landmarks are collected in the South Hall. There is a cinema in the building.
Yonghegong Temple
Belongs to the confession of Tibetan Buddhism. During construction in 1964, it was decided to combine the Chinese and Tibetan classical styles. In the central hall, there are 3 Buddha statues that identify the past, present and future. The main ceremonies are held in the Dharmachakra hall. The Pavilion of 10,000 Luck is notable for the statue of Maitreya, which is 26 meters high and carved out of sandalwood.
Temple of Confucius
Dated in 1302, and as a museum has existed since 1911. The second largest Confucian temple in the Celestial Empire. The area of the complex, divided into 4 yards, is more than 20 thousand square meters. Here, on stone tablets, the names of 50 thousand people are engraved, who passed the exam in the labors of Confucius. And 189 steles are covered with quotes from the philosopher. The main museum exposition is housed in the Great Scholarship Pavilion.
National Museum of China
It appeared in its current form in 2003 after the merger of the National Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution. Both were founded in 1959 and are located in the same building. From 2007 to 2011, the museum was closed due to renovations. The exhibition area was increased 3 times, and the exposition was renewed. The collections cover a period of 5 thousand years. A countdown clock is installed on the facade before important events.
National Center for the Performing Arts
The futuristic building was under construction in the Chinese capital from 2001 to 2007. Paul Andreu was in charge of the project. Even after the start of work, disputes about their expediency continued. The ellipsoidal dome made of titanium and glass clearly did not fit into the historic city center. The people called the opera house "the egg" precisely because of its unusual shape. An artificial reservoir was created around the center. Inside there are 3 halls for 6500 seats.
Metropolitan Museum
According to the classification, it can be attributed to local history. A modern Art Nouveau building was built specifically for the museum by 1981. The combination of glass and concrete makes it both fundamental and light. Several permanent exhibitions about China's past are located on 7 floors. Temporary exhibitions touch on the modern period of history. The funds include 200 thousand storage units.
798 Art Zone
In the 50s, a plant was built on this territory. By the 90s, it was no longer working at full capacity, and the areas were leased. The Beijing Academy of Fine Arts rented several rooms, then some artists began to pull up. They opened workshops, galleries, or simply lived here. Gradually, the Art Zone was filled with restaurants, theme shops, souvenir shops and exhibition halls.
Chaoyang Theater
Year of foundation - 1984. Main specialization - creation of acrobatic shows. In addition to the hall for performances on an area of 3 thousand square meters, there are three cinema halls. The program is shown twice a day.Artists try to take into account Chinese traditions when staging, using authentic props or appropriate music. The rooms combine beauty, dexterity, grace and some risk.
Red theater
The name is derived from the color of the walls of the building located in the historical district of the capital of the Middle Kingdom. The performances include acrobatic performances with kung fu elements. The artists do not use insurance, which makes the spectacle even more exciting. On the screens, Chinese words from the stage are duplicated by an English translation. Filming in the hall is prohibited during the performance.
Olympic park
It was built for several years for the 2008 Olympic Games. Area - 1135 hectares. The main objects of the park are the Bird's Nest stadium and the Water Cube palace for water sports. When the competition was over, they were transformed into an entertainment complex and a music and variety center, respectively. In addition, the park has an extensive green area and attractions such as the Ferris wheel.
Wangfujing street
One of the trade arteries of the capital of China. It is almost entirely pedestrianized. The length is less than a kilometer, while there are about 200 shops on it. In addition to famous brands, Wongfujing also has local products, including handicrafts. The street dates back to the Yuan Dynasty, when it was formed 700 years ago. It received its current name 200 years later during the Ming Dynasty.
Nanluogu hutong
The narrow street with this name is a typical representative of hutong - old alleys. It stretches for 800 meters in the Dongcheng District. It was built during the Yuan Dynasty, and received its current name during the Qing Dynasty. Has not been rebuilt for centuries, but the buildings often changed their specialization. Now more and more locals are guided by tourists, so they open shops and small restaurants.
CCTV headquarters
The construction of the skyscraper lasted from 2004 to 2009. The building is set aside for the headquarters of the Chinese Central Television. In addition, there are office premises, exhibition halls, a hotel, a theater and a cultural center inside. The shape of the skyscraper is unusual: two towers slightly inclined towards each other are connected by a common platform at the bottom and a 75-meter passage at the top. Height - 234 meters.
Skyscrapers Wangjing SOHO
When the city needed office buildings for representatives of international companies, it was decided to build skyscrapers in the Wangjing area. Three buildings that look like mountains were erected by Zaha Khalid in 2012. There are no sharp corners in their external design, only smooth lines. The water supply system of skyscrapers is also noteworthy, allowing to save up to 42% of water from the generally accepted norm.
Peace park
On the territory of several hectares, copies of the main attractions of the world are collected. In addition to the beauties that still exist to this day, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera, the Grand Canyon and Notre Dame Cathedral, there is also the Trojan Horse that came from myths, as well as the lost Alexandria Lighthouse. Most of the objects are made on a scale of 1: 8. The park is a place where national holidays of different nations are held.
Amusement Park "Valley of Happiness"
It became an alternative to Disneyland and began to receive visitors since 2006. The area is 500 thousand square meters. It is divided into 6 thematic zones, each of which has its own theme and corresponding appearance. Ancient Greece, Maya, Wild World, Atlantis, Ant Land, Fairy Kingdom include about a hundred attractions. In addition, the park has cafes, shops, places for recreation.
Lake Houhai
It is connected through the channels with the Xihai and Qianhai lakes. There are restaurants on the shores serving dishes from different cuisines of the world. Thanks to them, the area is famous for its nightlife. Houhai can be booked on a small boat decorated in Chinese style. A wide stone bridge is thrown across the lake. There are many attractions nearby, such as the race track or the Gongwangfu Palace.
Beijing Zoo
The first name is "The Garden of 10 Thousand Animals". Founded in 1908. Almost half a century later, it was time for great changes: many new species were introduced. On an area of 50 thousand square meters, spacious enclosures for monkeys, pandas, lions, elephants and other representatives of the fauna were built. Currently, the zoo has about 7 thousand pets. Some buildings are also part of the exposition and have their own architectural features.
Yuanmingyuan
The garden and palace complex was founded in 1707. It included palaces, religious buildings, artificial reservoirs. It was destroyed in the middle of the 19th century. Has not been restored, but some details of the landscape are well traced to this day. Even the ruins of a European-style palace look neat and picturesque. We visit tourists along with other beauties of the city.
Beijing Botanical Garden
The territory is mixed - mountainous and lowland. The area is about 130 hectares. The garden is divided into zones: areas for experimentation, tourist segments and those where access is limited. Plants - about 3 thousand species. The bonsai garden boasts trees that are more than a thousand years old. And 60 varieties of peach trees were collected. There are cafes and restaurants in the garden, as well as paths with detailed signs for the convenience of tourists.
Jingshan Park
The name translates as "Landscape Mountain Park" or "View from the Mountain". Founded as an imperial garden. For this, a hill with a height of more than 47 meters was artificially created. Nearby there are 4 more smaller hills. Each has a classic Chinese pavilion. Jingshan is a gathering place for the elderly. They practice dancing, meditation practices and group walks in the park.
Beihai park
Located next to the Forbidden City. The area is about 69 hectares. The lake of the same name occupies about half of the territory. The park has a long history dating back to the 10th century, but the general public was only allowed here in 1925. There are many iconic objects, for example: the 40-meter Bai Ta stupa, the Yunnan Buddhist temple, Pavilion 5 dragons, Taihu stones and a "garden in a garden" called the Jingxin Hall.
