Sightseeing in Beijing - what to see. Complete travel guide

Beijing is the second largest city of China. However, if Shanghai, which occupies the first place, is an economical and entertainment centre of the country, Beijing is its cultural and political capital. The city is growing and changing at a fantastic speed. Sometimes the whole districts change their look at once; when Beijing got the status of the capital of Olympic Games, this process became even quicker. The combination of such a dynamic development and a three-thousand year history makes this city so attractive and truly unique.

The Great Wall of China. The Great Wall of China is one of the symbols of the People's Republic of China and, of course, an impression of this country would be incomplete without visiting this famous sight. The closest section of the wall is located approximately 70 kilometres away from the northern part of Beijing. It is considered one of the most popular tourist attractions. Nowadays, the wall has been totally restored and has been supplied with such facilities, as restaurants and hotels.

The Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is the symbol of Beijing and the incarnation of the emperor’s epoch. It was built during the reign of Min dynasty, and during 500 years it served as the emperor’s residence. Ordinary Chinese citizens were not allowed to enter the Forbidden City. However, two times during its history the Forbidden City has become the victim of marauding and damage. The first occasion took place in 1664 during the attack of the Manchurians, and the second attempt happened in 1949, when the Kuomintang Party took the treasures of the Forbidden City to Taiwan. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong is the place where the remains of Mao are kept. In some way the building is the incarnation of the cult of Mao, which is still dominating in China. Nobody knows for sure, whether a wax figure or real relics of this great person are kept in the mausoleum. In order to get inside the mausoleum, especially on holidays, one has to stand a long queue.

Tiananmen Square was built in 1652. During the reign of Mao the square was often used to host various performances. However, the square became really famous in Europe after the student unrest of 1989, which was cruelly settled by the government. Tiananmen Square is located in the centre of Beijing. If you cross the street in the direction of the Forbidden City, you will see the gates of the square. This is where visitors will find the marvellous image of Manchuria. Unfortunately, just a little has been left from the Old Summer Palace, that used to be one of the most fabulous and attractive buildings of China. It was almost completely ruined by French and British army during the Second Opium War in 1860. The palace was built in 12th century as a part of an enormously large park territory on the north-west of Beijing.

The Summer Palace used to be the favourite place of Empress Ci Xi. She spent hours there, thinking about the future of the country, or simply having rest. It would be a mistake to think that the real beauty of the palace can be seen in summer only. In winter the palace still attracts many people, who enjoy the harmony of its gardens, beautiful lake landscapes, hills and pavilions.

The park near the palace is 294 hectares large. An interesting fact - almost three quarters of its territory is covered with water. It is situated on the north-west of Beijing near the West Mountains, approximately 15 kilometres away from the city centre. Since 1998 that place has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

In addition to the sights that have been mentioned above, Beijing is full of other attractions that will be of a great interest to travellers. These are Beihai Park, the Thirteen Ming Tombs, Marco Polo's Bridge and many other sightseeing objects.

The best time visiting Beijing. Winter is the coldest time in Beijing, in summer it's quite hot and dry there, in spring sandstorms are frequent in the city, so autumn remains the most suitable season for making a trip to Beijing.