China’s stop-start capital city since the days of Genghis Khan and his Mongol hordes overran the place, Beijing is a true citadel in every respect. But, not only does it have a glorious and often bloody ancient past, it’s also a breathtakingly modern city, gleaming with confidence and seemingly assured of its destiny as China’s leading light for years to come.
The seat of communist power in China, Beijing is a vast metropolis that seems to reflect a mood of surrealistic beauty in its architecture. One minute the visitor is met with drab Soviet-style apartment buildings, and the next by an enormous, shimmering skyscraper rising from the ashes of some vanquished temple.
With its legendary3,000 year history, a wealth of historical sights and attractions, is what’s expected and delivered here. Beijing has more imperial palaces, more royal gardens and more temples than any other city in the world – you could write a book about the and probably never reach an end.
Incomparable in stature is the famous Forbidden City, Beijing’s most renowned attraction, which served as the imperial palace for China’s ancient emperors for almost six hundred years, through both the Ming and the Qing dynasties, until imperialism was finally thrown out for good in 1911. Visitors gasp in awe at the magnificent oriental designs and the superb architecture – here is a place that is truly incomparable.
Not quite as stunning, but nevertheless spectacular in each’s own right, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace, with their extensive gardens , are other attractions unique to this place and their artistic beauty.
Besides its historical attractions, Beijing is also enriched with an incredible number of cultural delights, such as the National Center of Performing Arts, the Meilanfang Theater and the Changan Theater, where spectators are enthralled with international ballet performances, Peking operas, musical concerts and classical dramas.
Lastly, Beijing’s vibrant nightlife, which has been transformed to keep pace with the city’s sky-rocketing economy and its citizen’s demands for a better lifestyle, must be mentioned. Just a few years ago the nightlife in Beijing was non-existent. Today, it’s become one of the trendiest party scenes in Asia, with whole streets totally dedicated to those pursuing after-hour thrills. Sanlitun Bar Street, Houhai Bar Street and South Luoguxiang Bar Street appear as beacons, seducing thousands of revelers with the glittering neon lights and bars, pubs and clubs of just about every variety and description. Nights in Beijing are simply unforgettable – as are all thing here.
Main attractions: The Forbidden CityWudaokou, Chaoyang Park, Beijing Botanical Garden, Beihai Park, Zhoukoudian, Shichahai, the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Olympic Stadium, and countless others.
Currency: Renminbi (RMB)
Official language: Chinese
Area: 16,801.25 km2 (6,487 sq mi)
Population: 19,612,368
Electricity:
- Voltage: 220-240 Volts (U.S./Canada are 110-120 Volts)
- Primary Socket Types: Chinese Grounded, Chinese Non-Grounded Others sometimes found: British BS-1363
- Multi-voltage appliances (laptops, etc.): Plug adapter Click socket type links to view adapter for that type
- 110-120V electronics: Plug adapter + step-down transformer
- Hair dryers, curling irons, etc.: Plug adapter + voltage converter
Other places to see & things to do: Tianning Temple, Beijing Financial Street, Wangfujing Street, Zhongguancun, Wangfujing Cathedral, the Old Beijing Observatory, the Beijing Opera, China Central Television Headquarters, Beijing Railway Station, and many more.
Images courtesy: Wikipedia, Trey Ratcliff
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