Cultural sightseeing in China. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

China is a country that is rich in culture and historic sights. Almost a hundred of Chinese cities are home to priceless landmarks such as ancient …
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China is a country of contrasts where the cultures of the West and the East are united into a single whole. The same goes for cooking. Chinese cuisine …
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China is a country where the rapid development of industry goes hand in hand with centuries of history. The main national trait of the country's …
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Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in China
Reference information
Art galleries in China
♥ Art museum 'Beijing Art Museum' Beijing. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Beijing World Art Museum' Beijing. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Capital Museum' Beijing. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'China Art Museum' Shanghai. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Guanfu Museum' Beijing. On the map
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♥ Art museum 'Beijing Art Museum' Beijing. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Beijing World Art Museum' Beijing. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Capital Museum' Beijing. On the map


♥ Art museum 'China Art Museum' Shanghai. On the map


♥ Art museum 'Guanfu Museum' Beijing. On the map


Cathedrals and basilicas in China
♥ Cathedral, Shaowu 邵武. On the map
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♥ Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Changsha 长沙. On the map
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♥ Cathedral of St. Joseph, Chongqing 重庆. On the map
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♥ Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Hangzhou 杭州. On the map
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♥ Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, Sheshan 佘山. On the map
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♥ Cathedral of St. Ignatius (Xujiahui Church), Shanghai 上海. On the map
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♥ Church of St. Francis Xavier (Dongjaidu Church), Shanghai 上海. On the map
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♥ Cathedral, Shaowu 邵武. On the map


♥ Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Changsha 长沙. On the map


♥ Cathedral of St. Joseph, Chongqing 重庆. On the map


♥ Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Hangzhou 杭州. On the map


♥ Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, Sheshan 佘山. On the map


♥ Cathedral of St. Ignatius (Xujiahui Church), Shanghai 上海. On the map


♥ Church of St. Francis Xavier (Dongjaidu Church), Shanghai 上海. On the map


Palaces in China
♥ Palace 'Daming Palace' . On the map
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♥ Palace 'Epang Palace' . On the map
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♥ Palace 'Forbidden City' . On the map
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♥ Palace 'Hangzhou Imperial Palace' . On the map
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♥ Palace 'Ming Imperial Palace' Nanjing. On the map
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♥ Palace 'Daming Palace' . On the map


♥ Palace 'Epang Palace' . On the map


♥ Palace 'Forbidden City' . On the map


♥ Palace 'Hangzhou Imperial Palace' . On the map


♥ Palace 'Ming Imperial Palace' Nanjing. On the map


Extreme Guinness-type places in China
Da Yunhe Grand Canal
From the series “The most interesting UNESCO sites in China”
The length of the canal excluding branches is 1,782 km. If we take into account the branches to Beijing and other major cities in its structure, the total length of the waterways will be about 2,470 km. The maximum width of the channel is 350 meters. The widest place is in Shanghai. The channel has 21 … Read all
Chengjiang Archeological Preserve
From the series “The most interesting UNESCO sites in China”
Fossils of marine organisms make up the bulk of the finds. They lived in these places more than 500 million years ago. Some of the samples found are so rare that scientists have not yet been able to classify them. The very first paleontological artifacts were discovered in these places in 1912. The largest … Read all

Top cultural sites of China: monuments, theaters and churches
National Museum of China, Beijing
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» The main objective of the National Museum of China is preservation and promotion of Chinese art and history. 
» The museum is the four-storey building, whose facade is decorated with eleven columns.
» The venue combines two other museums.
» The National Museum of China contains more than half a million exhibits, the history of which covers more than 5,000-year period.
» One of the most famous exhibits is the Jade Prince made of thousands of pieces of jade faceted and interconnected with gold wire.
Railway Museum, Beijing
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» There are two railway museums in Beijing. One is on the outskirts of the city in a huge hangar. 
» It has collected more than 50 locomotives of different periods of development of China's railway network. If you want, you can climb up to any of them and inspect the trains from the inside.
» Several old steam locomotives have bas-reliefs of Mao Jie Dong and other famous people. These reliefs are stamped on the front panels of locomotives.
» Another museum is in the building of the Eastern Railway Station. It is located on four floors and is dedicated to the history of the railway traffic in country.
» The East Railway Station was built by the British in 1906 and became the largest in China. There are various relics related to the railway movement.
» It contains an interesting exposition of ancient tickets. There are instances from the time of the reign of the imperial dynasty of Qing and Guo Min Dao. You will see a printing device for making tickets, which is still in working conditions.
» There is also a modern exposition, where models of new high-speed trains are presented.
Science and Technology Museum, Shanghai
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» The Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is the popular, educational, entertainment and tourist facility. 
» Exhibits of the museum are devoted to nature, man, science and technology.
» The museum is divided into seven exhibition areas: Secrets of Planet Earth, Living Beings and Phenomena of Nature, Light of Wisdom, Audio&Visual Entertainment Park, Cradle of Design, Children’s Rainbow Land and Museum of Nature.
» The museum also houses a cinema with a big screen and a 3D dome theater, as well as gift shops, multi-purpose hall banks and other complex objects.
» Currently, 1,272 species of fish and 331 species of mammals are represented in the museum.
Shanghai Museum, Shanghai
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» The Shanghai Museum is the museum of ancient Chinese art, founded in 1952. 
» Construction of the modern museum building began in August 1993; the museum was re-opened to the public on October 12, 1996.
» The five-storey building has height of 30 meters and occupies 39,200 m2.
» The museum building is designed in shape of an ancient bronze tripod, the most well-known form of ritual utensils in China. The building has a round top and a square base, symbolizing the ancient Chinese perception of the world as round sky and flat rectangular land.
» The Shanghai Museum has collected about 120 thousand exhibits. It has valuable collections of bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, furniture, jade statues, old coins, paintings, print and sculpture.
» The Shanghai Museum has items of national importance, including one of the three existing models of transparent bronze mirrors of the Han Dynasty.
Summer Palace, Beijing
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» The Summer Palace is the residence of emperors situated on the outskirts of Beijing. The park near the palace accommodates more than 3,000 facilities. 
» Translated from the Chinese, the original name of the Summer Palace means 'the park of serenity and peace'.
» By order of the emperor in 1750, Garden of Clear Ripples was laid there. A man-made lake was created there, as well as a Longevity Hill, on top of which Buddhist temples were built.
» A long corridor located near the coast is considered the world's longest painted corridor; it lasts for 728 meters.
» About 8,000 pictures are hanging on the walls of this long corridor.
» The beach is notable for the famous marble boat, favored by the Empress Dowager Cixi, who spent for construction of the palace the sum equal to 940,000 kg of silver.
Temple of Heaven, Beijing
Location on the map:
Interesting facts:
» The Temple of Heaven is the monastic complex, which includes only the main temple of circular shape, the Harvest Temple. 
» The temple is more than 500 years old; it's one of the major historical sites in China.
» Roofs of main buildings of the temple are made of blue glazed tiles, the color of the sky.
» The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 and originally was called the Temple of Heaven and Earth, as there rendered prayers for Heaven and Earth.
» The temple is surrounded by two walls, external and internal. The southern part of the Temple of Heaven is square, and its northern part is rounded, as a circle represents the celestial powers, and a square serves for the forces of the Earth.
Culture and monuments in popular cities of China
Near the square there is one of the most visited cultural centers of the city – Shanghai Museum. The building of it is an unusual architectural monument, it resembles a huge box. It was built in 1952. There was a racetrack long ago. Currently, the architectural complex was converted into a modern cultural centre. To accommodate a priceless exposition the Museum has 11 galleries. A separate gallery is reserved for the storage of ancient sculptures. The collection of ceramics and products of … Read more

Suburban areas of Beijing also have many notable places, such as "Valley of the Kings". 30 rulers of the Ming Dynasty are buried in this valley. The entrance to the burial has been strictly forbidden until recent time. Only specially selected persons had a chance to see the grave of the legendary emperors. Today this place of interest is very popular among visitors. Gugong Palace in Beijing is one more remarkable architectural structure besides the Great Wall. It was built in the beginning of … Read more

Many outstanding landmarks in Guangzhou have a religious origin, and the Site of Kingdom Palace is one of these places of interest. It is hard to imagine, but it took more than a thousand years to find the tomb of the legendary king Nanyue. It was believed that an incredible number of jewels and treasures were stored in the tomb. Scientists managed to discover it relatively recently, in 1983. However, ancient articles of jade turned out to be the most valuable “treasures”. Nevertheless, … Read more

The Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan) is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the city. The landscape garden is striking with a variety of decorations: there are two beautiful ponds and countless trees and flowers in the park. Besides the luxurious landscaping, several beautiful old mansions have been preserved in the garden. Their appearance uniquely harmonizes with surrounding landscapes. A garden with the unusual name of The Lion Grove Garden is also sure to please … Read more

Travelers wishing to get acquainted with the culture and traditions of the local people should visit another park - the China Folk Culture Village). Its area occupies more than 200 thousand square meters and accommodates 24 classic villages, in which the atmosphere of the last centuries is completely recreated. The largest theme park in Shenzhen is the Window of The World covering an area of about 480 thousand square meters. The theme of the park is very interesting. It introduces visitors to … Read more

Here tourists can make an excursion to the islands, walk on the beautiful arched bridge and picturesque park areas that surround the major natural landmark of Hangzhou. The vibrant district of Xi Hu Tyandi is on the southern shore of the lake. This part of the city is particularly popular with fans of shopping and Chinese food. Here, on picturesque streets, tourists will find many interesting shopping pavilions, charming cafes, and restaurants that serve guests till late at night. There is … Read more

The most interesting and most attractive cultural center is university called Xiamen Daxue. One of the university buildings is the Museum of Anthropology. Its collections are quite multifaceted. The most interesting of them are a collection of old jade items and a rich collection of ancient coins. It will be interesting for admirers of paintings to visit this large museum. One of its halls is selected for keeping masterpieces of famous painters of China and Taiwan. Connoisseurs of ancient … Read more

A few Buddhist temples, including Wenshu Yuan Monastery, have been preserved in Chengdu. The first monastery here was built in the 7th century, and the present monastery started to be built at the end of the 17th century. The ancient construction resembles a large museum with its design. There is a collection of paintings accounting for more than 500 masterpieces kept here. Also, the rich collection includes pieces of old pieces of calligraphy and precious manuscripts. The most valuable … Read more
