Beijing and its attractions

This year the global economic situation is causing UK tourists to consider travelling further afield than the Eurozone on their doorstep. The reason is quite simple, once they have dealt with such necessities as travel insurance and accommodation, few, if any, of their neighbouring tourist destinations is likely to offer much value for money for the weakened Sterling in the wake of the credit crunch. For some who are eager to visit the historical and architectural sights associated with such infamous European cities as Paris, Rome and Venice, such places will now be off-limits. Luckily however, the East has many equivalents, for example Beijing.

Beijing has been described by National Geographic as: ‘An epicentre of tradition with the treasures of nearly 2,000 years,’ and this is by no means an understatement. However, one thing that is a little harder to distil into so few words is the unique wonder of some of its sights.

One example is the Beijing Ancient Observatory in the Dongcheng District, which exists due to the Yongle Emperor’s title meaning ‘Son of Heaven’ spurring a heightened interest in the skies by the astronomers of Ming and Qing. Today visitors can still walk amongst ancient instruments such as the Quadrant and Theodolite and explore the many astronomical exhibition rooms.


For a historic natural attraction focusing on phenomena a little closer to home, Beihai Park is an imperial garden in the Xicheng District and has been there for over 1,000 years.

Beihei translates to ‘Northern Sea’, a name that reflects the fact that more than half of the park’s 171 acres are covered in lakes and ponds. Additionally, the gardens are also noticeable for the abundance of imperial and elegant architecture as exemplified by The Yong'an Temple (Temple of Everlasting Peace, the largest building in the park) and the intricate Five-Dragon Pavilions.


Approximately six kilometres south east of Beihei Park, the Temple of Heaven is situated in the heavily populated Xuanwu District. The Temple (or Altar, as it is known literally) is a Taoist complex dating from the early 1400s and at its heart includes the three-tiered, and circular, Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests constructed from wood without the use of nails. The entire structure has been built in strict accordance to philosophical teachings, which is noticeable in its layout and the inclusion of such features as the Echo Wall which stretches for 193 metres but can reverberate a whisper for its entire length.


Alongside Beijing’s many sights, the most intriguing and awesome man-made structure could well be the Forbidden City. This imperial palace complex is the largest in the world, and is located in the centre of Beijing. As an attraction, the Forbidden City is notable for its sheer size and architecture, but it is also now home to the Palace Museum containing numerous artefacts from the Ming and Qing imperial courts throughout the last 5,000 years. Since becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the palace has undergone some restoration, alongside increased commercialization which has since been criticized by the Chinese Media.