Beijing (běi jīng 北京), with 7300 cultural relics and historic sites and more than 200 scenic spots, is unarguably one of the most visited places in the world. Some of these interesting places are within walking distance, some are a bit further away. It takes quite some time to savvy everything that Beijing City has to provide. But if you only have a short stay in Beijing, you should make sure to get around the top ten places in Beijing City.
Forbidden City
Beijing is an old capital city developing at a fast pace. The Forbidden City is the ideal place for you to begin your exploration of Beijing by opening its mysterious face.
The Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties was later called "The forbidden city" because nobody but the Imperial Court (and servants) was admitted to it. It has been the Imperial Palace of 24 Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911). With over 9,000 rooms and over 250 acres, it was build between 1406 and 1420. It was open to the public only during the Cultural Revolution. It burned down and was rebuilt, sacked and renovated for times, so most of the architecture you can see today dates back to the 18th century in the Qing Dynasty. It is now under the protective wing of the UNESCO, a cultural treasure for the whole world.
Address: No.4 Jingshan Front Street, Dongcheng District
Opening Hour: 8:30-17:00
Ticket office hours: From 9: to 15:00 pm
Travel Time: Two hours
Entrance Fee: RMB 60
Buses to the Forbidden City: No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 52, 57, 22, 54, 120, 802, special bus No.1
and get off at Zhongshan Phongshan Park stop or Tian Am Men stop. Take subway.
Tiananmen Square
What is the most representative place in Beijing? The answers are various. But Tiananmen Square is unarguably on the top list. Lying in the heart of Beijing City, it is the place for massive parades and gathering. It boasts of the largest square of such kind in the world.
Tiananmen Square is circled by Tiananmen (Gate of Heaven Peace) on its north; the Great Hall of the People on its west; on the east of Tiananmen Square lies the National Museum of China,; there are Monument to the People's Heroes and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum on the south.
At sunrise and sunset the raising and lowering ceremony of the Chinese National Flag is well worth seeing. The young troops perform very well. Make sure to be there 30 minutes earlier to get a good standing point.
How to get there:
Buses to Tiananmen:
Take No.1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 52, 57, 22, 54, 120, 802, special bus No.1 and get off Zhongshan Park stop or Tian An Men stop. Take subway.
Ticket fees and tour time:
Tiananmen Square: Free
Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace): RMB 15
The Great Hall of the People: RMB 15
Chairman Mao's Mausoleum: Free
The National Museum of China: RMB 15
Opening Time (Tiananmen Square): Whole Day
Travelling time: 2-4 hours
