Forbidden City
Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
Here, in the very middle of the Middle Kingdom, is where divine power resides. The ghost of emperors past haunt the Forbidden City (故宫, Gùgōng) as Chairman Mao slumbers in his Tian'anmen Square mausoleum. From imperial parks to monolithic museums, Beijing's densest array of big sights gives way eastwards to the shopping malls and hotels of Wangfujing. To the south, the sleepy former Legation Quarter is where foreigners first left their mark on the capital.
Explore Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
- Forbidden City
Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
- Tian'anmen Square
Flanked by triumphalist Soviet-style buildings, Tian'anmen Sq is an immense void of paved stone (440,000 sq metres, to be precise) at the symbolic centre…
- Gate of Heavenly Peace
Instantly recognisable by its giant framed portrait of Mao, and guarded by two pairs of Ming dynasty stone lions, the double-eaved Gate of Heavenly Peace …
- Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
One of Beijing's more surreal spectacles is the sight of Mao Zedong's embalmed corpse on public display within his mausoleum. The Soviet-inspired memorial…
- Zhihua Temple
Lost in a tumbledown hutong neighbourhood, this Buddhist temple is one of Beijing's best-preserved Ming dynasty structures. It was built in 1444 to honour…
- Jingshan Park
Beijing's finest park is also one of the only hills in the inner city, a mound that was created from the loess (sediment) excavated to make the Forbidden…
- WWorkers' Cultural Palace
One of Beijing's best-kept secrets – despite being next to the Gate of Heavenly Peace – the Workers' Cultural Palace was gifted to the masses by Mao in…
- Ancient Observatory
Astronomers have been studying the mysteries of the cosmos here since 1442. Crowning the 18m-high brick tower – an earlier version of which would have…
- Poly Art Museum
A thrilling discovery, this exquisite collection of treasures is hidden halfway up an office building! China's state-owned Poly Group has funnelled a…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central.
See
Forbidden City
Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
See
Tian'anmen Square
Flanked by triumphalist Soviet-style buildings, Tian'anmen Sq is an immense void of paved stone (440,000 sq metres, to be precise) at the symbolic centre…
See
Gate of Heavenly Peace
Instantly recognisable by its giant framed portrait of Mao, and guarded by two pairs of Ming dynasty stone lions, the double-eaved Gate of Heavenly Peace …
See
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
One of Beijing's more surreal spectacles is the sight of Mao Zedong's embalmed corpse on public display within his mausoleum. The Soviet-inspired memorial…
See
Zhihua Temple
Lost in a tumbledown hutong neighbourhood, this Buddhist temple is one of Beijing's best-preserved Ming dynasty structures. It was built in 1444 to honour…
See
Jingshan Park
Beijing's finest park is also one of the only hills in the inner city, a mound that was created from the loess (sediment) excavated to make the Forbidden…
See
Workers' Cultural Palace
One of Beijing's best-kept secrets – despite being next to the Gate of Heavenly Peace – the Workers' Cultural Palace was gifted to the masses by Mao in…
See
Ancient Observatory
Astronomers have been studying the mysteries of the cosmos here since 1442. Crowning the 18m-high brick tower – an earlier version of which would have…
See
Poly Art Museum
A thrilling discovery, this exquisite collection of treasures is hidden halfway up an office building! China's state-owned Poly Group has funnelled a…
Guidebooks
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