Sunday 12 April 2015

Places to see at Beijing, China

Beijing is China's capital and most modern city. This bustling city is home to over 21 million people, while remaining steeped in China's rich, royal past. This bustling city is home to over 21 million people, while remaining steeped in China's rich, royal past. 

Places to visit:

The Great Wall of China



As you first look upon the Great Wall, it is impossible not to be awestruck at this man-made structure. Construction started in the 7th century BC, with additions and rebuilding continuing until the 16th century AD. The Great Wall was built to keep out the warring invaders of the north, but additional sections were extended eastward for nearly 6,700 kilometres. The Badaling section is the most well preserved section of the Wall. You can climb to its top and walk for a mile in either direction: the Great Wall snakes ahead though the mountains as far as you can see.


The Temple of Heaven 




This masterpiece of Ming architecture is one of the most photographed buildings in the world due to its elegant beauty and symmetry. Built in 1420, it was the place where Ming and Qing emperors (Sons of Heaven) prayed to heaven for a good harvest. Music plays softly through the day in a 660-acre park surrounding the temple.


The Summer Palace 



Built in 1750, the Palace overlooks tranquil Kunming Lake. There you can stroll along corridors where royal families spent their summers hundreds of years ago.


Tiananmen Square 




Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the centre of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the fourth largest city square in the world (440,000 m2 – 880×500 m or 109 acres – 960×550 yd). It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several important events in Chinese history.
Outside China, the square is best known in recent memory as the focal point of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, a pro-democracy movement which ended on 4 June 1989 with the declaration of martial law in Beijing by the government and the shooting of several hundred or possibly thousands of civilians by soldiers.


The Forbidden City (the Palace Museum) 




In the heart of the capital lies the Forbidden City, built during the Ming dynasty in 1406. The Forbidden City is actually a city-within-a-city; with 9999 rooms spread over 250 acres. During the Ming and Qing dynasty, 24 emperors made their home in the Forbidden City and forbade commoners from entering. The Emperor's Palace has been transformed into a museum that holds many treasures of the Imperial Family.

Submitted by Nivedita Roy, Roll no 108, FYBVOC Tourism, St Xavier's College.


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