Beijing essentials

Beijing’s central axis anchors this collection, featuring the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City and the vast Tian'anmen Square. The city’s spiritual history is represented by the Tibetan Buddhist Yonghe Lamasery and the historic Confucius Temple. Visitors can explore the Ming-era Drum and Bell Towers, the Qing-style Prince Gong Mansion, and the scenic Shichahai lakes. Modern landmarks like the 'Giant Egg' performing arts center complement traditional experiences, such as sampling authentic Peking duck at the historic Quanjude or walking the Wangfujing shopping district.

Beijing Essentials — Map

Dennis Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0

A

Forbidden City

Covering unbelievable 720,000 square metres of land, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest ancient palace in the world, serving as…

Jacob Ehnmark from Sendai, Japan / CC BY 2.0

B

Tian'anmen Square

Tiananmen Square or Tian'anmen Square () is a city square in the city center of Beijing, China, named after the eponymous Tiananmen located…

C

Gate of Heavenly Peace

This 15th-century gate is one of the most iconic symbols of China. It was built during the Ming dynasty and it used to be the entrance to…

Shakti / CC-BY-SA-3.0

D

Yonghe Lamasery

The Yonghe Temple, also known as the Yonghe Lamasery, or popularly as the Lama Temple, is a temple and monastery of the Gelug school of…

harryalverson / CC BY-SA 2.0

E

Jingshan Park

Jingshan Park is an imperial park covering 23 hectares immediately north of the Forbidden City in the Imperial City area of Beijing, China.

BabelStone / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

National Museum of China

The National Museum of China is the national museum of China. It flanks the eastern side of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.

d'n'c / CC BY-SA 2.0

G

Wangfujing

Wangfujing is a shopping street in Beijing, China, located in Dongcheng District. The majority of the main area is pedestrianised.

用心阁 / CC-BY-SA-3.0

H

Shichahai

Shichahai is a historic scenic area consisting of three lakes in the north of central Beijing.

Hui Lan / CC BY 2.0

I

National Centre for the Performing Arts

The National Centre for the Performing Arts, and colloquially described as The Giant Egg, is an arts centre containing an opera house in…

Zaptel / CC BY 2.0

J

Drum and Bell Towers

The Drum Tower of Beijing, or Gulou, is situated at the northern end of the central axis of the Inner City to the north of Di'anmen Street.

dcastor / Public domain

K

Chairman Mao Memorial Hall

The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, also known as the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, is the final resting place of Mao Zedong, Chairman of the…

docsdl / CC BY 2.0

L

Confucius Temple

Beijing Temple of Confucius is the second-largest Confucian temple in China, after the one in Confucius's hometown of Qufu.

onion83 / CC BY-SA 2.0

M

Prince Gong Mansion

Prince Gong's Mansion, also known as the Prince Kung Mansion, is a museum and tourist attraction located in Xicheng District, Beijing, just…

Public domain

N

Beijing Zoo

Beijing Zoo is a zoological park in Xizhimen, Xicheng District, Beijing.

einalem / CC BY-SA 2.0

O

Quanjude Roast Duck Qianmen Branch

Quanjude is a Chinese restaurant chain known for its Peking roast duck and its longstanding culinary heritage since its establishment in…

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