Beijing heritage sites

Beijing’s heritage sites represent centuries of imperial power and cultural evolution. This collection spans the Ming and Qing dynasties, featuring the sprawling Forbidden City and the ceremonial axis of Tian'anmen Square. Architectural highlights include the Liao dynasty Tianning Temple pagoda, the Tibetan Buddhist Yonghe Lamasery, and the massive bronze bells of Dazhong Temple. These landmarks illustrate China’s transition from an imperial seat to a modern republic, encompassing solemn mausoleums, traditional watchtowers, and the second-largest Confucian temple in the country.

Beijing Heritage Sites — 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…

Zaptel / CC BY 2.0

E

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

F

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

G

Confucius Temple

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

BabelStone / CC BY-SA 3.0

H

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.

Charlie fong / Public domain

I

Monument to the People's Heroes

The Monument to the People's Heroes is a ten-story obelisk that was erected as a national monument of China to the martyrs of revolutionary…

Clithering / CC BY-SA 2.5

J

Dazhong Temple

The Big Bell Temple, or Dazhong Temple, originally known as Juesheng Temple, is a Buddhist temple located on the North 3rd Ring Road in…

ImMrDrake / Public domain

K

Hall of Supreme Harmony

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest hall within the Forbidden City in Beijing, China.

White, Herbert C. / Public domain

L

Five Pagoda Temple

The Five Pagoda Temple, formally known as the "Temple of the Great Righteous Awakening" or "Zhenjue Temple" for short, is a Ming dynasty…

Temlsth / CC BY-SA 3.0

M

Zhengyangmen

Qianmen is the colloquial name for Zhengyangmen, a gate in Beijing's historic city wall.

Angus Cepka / CC BY 2.5

N

Tian ning si ta

This 12th-century octagonal brick pagoda dates back to the Liao dynasty. Standing nearly 58 meters tall, it is one of Beijing's oldest surviving structures and features intricate relief carvings of Buddhist guardians and floral patterns.

Neo-Jay / CC-BY-SA-3.0

O

Xinhua Gate

The formal entrance to the Zhongnanhai compound, this two-story gatehouse on West Chang'an Avenue was originally built in 1758 as Baoyuelou. It was converted into a gate during the early Republican era and remains a significant political landmark.

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