3 The Summer Palace
Situated in the western outskirts of Haidian District, the Summer Palace is 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from central Beijing. Having the largest royal park and being well preserved, it was designated, in 1960 by the State Council, as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Site of China. Containing examples of the ancient arts, it also has graceful landscapes and magnificent constructions. The Summer Palace is the archetypal Chinese garden, and is ranked amongst the most noted and classical gardens of the world. In 1998, UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site.
4 The Great Wall
UNESCO enlisted the Great Wall of China, one of the great wonders of the world, as a World Heritage Site in 1987. Like a gigantic dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus stretching approximately 6,700 kilometers (4,163 miles) across China from east to west. With a history of more than 2,000 years, some sections of the Great Wall now lie in ruins or have disappeared entirely. Despite this, the wall remains one of the most appealing attractions across the world, thanks to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.
5 The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven was completed in 1420 and was originally a platform for the Son of Heaven (the emperor) to perform sacrifices and solemn rites. Among the gods worshiped were the god of earth, the god of water, the god of agriculture (who has his own hall in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests), the god of the military, the god of religion and the god of civilians. Offering sacrifices was a serious task, as was atoning the sins of the people. The entire empire relied on the emperor for good fortune and abundant harvests so he had quite a responsibility! The Temple was opened to the public in 1912 and commoners, who had previously been banned from even watching the bizarre procession pass through the city to Tiantan, were now permitted to visit the Temple themselves.
7. 798 Art Zone
“798” is the name of a State-owned radio parts factory built in the 1950s with help of East Germany, when China was aligned with the Soviet Bloc. The factory was closed down in the 1960s and its buildings had been deserted until individual artists and cultural organizations came in 2002 to use them as studios.
Today, the area has developed into one of Beijing and the world’s most famous art districts, featuring not only studios but also exhibitions, fashion shows, concerts and other artistic performances.
8. National Centre for the Performing Arts
( National Grand theater)国家大剧院
National Centre for the Performing Arts is a dynamic new icon to the arts in the heart of old Beijing. It is China's new face on the performing arts and a stage for the world's greatest artists. It will showcase China's burgeoning international stars and celebrate the creativity of its many ethnic cultures.
9.Olympic Stadiums 奥运场馆
The National Stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest", is a key competition venue of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the 13th Paralympic Games.It has 91,000seats. The opening and Closing ceremonies of the two Games were held here, together with the football, and track and field competitions. The stadium looks like a nest from the outside, symbolizing a cradle holding the hopes of mankind for the future. It is the iconic structure of the Beijing Olympic Games and has become a recognized landmark worldwide.
The National Aquatics Center -Located on the western side of the Olympic Green, the National Aquatics Center, also known as the "Water Cube", is a blue crystal palace, with the appearance of light-blue bubbles on the outside, perfectly displaying the beauty of water under various light conditions.
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