Showing 1-13 of 13 results
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Beijing Underground City
By 1969, as the USA landed men on the moon, Mao had decided the future for Beijing's people lay underground. Alarmist predictions of nuclear war with Russia dispatched an army of Chinese beneath the streets to burrow a huge warren of bombproof tunnels which has now been put to use as warehouses, hotels and restaurants.
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Bell Tower
First constructed in 1272 but felled numerous times by fire and war, the tower's present structure dates from 1745. Climb up the steep steps (very carefully!) to gawk at the 63-tonne bell.
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China Millennium Monument
Vaguely resembling a vast sundial pointing directly south to Beijing West Train Station, this cumbersome monument solidifies Běijīng's triumphant 21st century aspirations in stone. For such a momentous statement, the design is devoid of imagination or artistry, while examination of the stone cladding shows it already requires repair.
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Drum Tower
The Drum Tower was first built in 1272 and marked the centre of the old Mongol capital Dàdū. Originally constructed of wood, the structure went up in flames and was rebuilt in 1420, since then it has been repeatedly destroyed and restored. Stagger up the incredibly steep steps for wide-ranging views over Běijīng's rooftops. The drums of this later Ming dynasty version were beaten to mark the hours of the day - in effect the Big Ben of Běijīng.
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Duan Gate
Sandwiched between the Gate of Heavenly Peace and Meridian Gate, Duan Gate was stripped of its treasures by foreign forces quelling the Boxer Rebellion. The hall today is hung with photos of old Běijīng. Steer your eyes to the ceiling's wonderful original painted colours, free of the cosmetic improvements so casually inflicted on many of China's other historic monuments - including the slap-dash red paintwork on the exterior walls of Duan Gate.
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Forbidden City
The Forbidden City, so-called because it was off-limits to most of the world for 500 years, is the best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China. The old world of beautiful concubines and priapic emperors, ball-breaking (and broken) eunuchs and conspicuous wealth still hovers over the lush gardens, courtyards, pavilions and great halls of the palace.
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Front Gate
Front Gate actually consists of two gates. The northernmost of the two gates, the 40m-high Zhengyang Gate (正阳门; Zhèngyáng Mén) dates from the Ming dynasty and was the largest of the nine gates of the inner city wall separating the inner, or Tartar (Manchu), City from the outer, or Chinese, City.
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Gate Of Heavenly Peace
Hung with a vast likeness of Mao, the double-eaved Gate of Heavenly Peace is a potent national symbol. Built in the 15th century and restored in the 17th century, the gate was the largest of the four gates of the Imperial City Wall. Today's political coterie watch mass troop parades from here, and it was from this gate that Mao proclaimed the People's Republic on 1 October 1949. Climb up for excellent views of Tiananmen Square.
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Monument to the People's Heroes
North of Mao's mausoleum, the Monument to the People's Heroes was completed in 1958. The 37.9m-high obelisk, made of Qīngdǎo granite, bears bas-relief carvings of key patriotic and revolutionary events (such as Taiping rebels and Lin Zexu destroying opium at Hǔmén in the 19th century), and appropriate calligraphy from communist bigwigs Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. Mao's eight-character flourish proclaims 'Eternal Glory to the People's Heroes'.
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Southeast Corner Watchtower
This splendid fortification, with a green-tiled, twin-eaved roof rising up imperiously south of the Ancient Observatory, dates back to the Ming dynasty. Clamber up the steps for views alongside camera-wielding Chinese trainspotters eagerly awaiting rolling stock grinding in and out of Beijing Train Station. The highly impressive interior has staggering carpentry: huge red pillars surge upwards, topped with solid beams.
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Summer Palace
The huge regal encampment of the Summer Palace is one of the city's principle attractions. Once a playground for the imperial court eluding the insufferable summer swelter of the Forbidden City, today the palace grounds, its temples, gardens, pavilions, lakes and corridors teem with marauding tour groups.
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Temple of Heaven Park
The example of Ming architecture, Tiāntán - literally 'Altar of Heaven' - has come to symbolise Běijīng. The temple originally served as a vast stage for the solemn rites performed by the emperor, the Son of Heaven, as he sought good harvests, divine clearance and atonement for the sins of the people. Unique architectural features will delight numerologists, necromancers and the superstitious - not to mention acoustic engineers and carpenters.
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Tiananmen Square
The world's largest public square, Tiananmen Sq is a vast desert of paving stones at the heart of Běijīng. It may be a grandiose, Maoist tourist trap, but the view is breathtaking on a clear day and at nightfall. Kites flit through the sky, children stamp around and Chinese out-of-towners huddle together for the obligatory photo opportunity.
Showing 1-13 of 13 results
