Top 10 Sights in Beijing

Beijing: Our fascination with China’s capital truly knows no bounds. This vast metropolis boasts a history spanning several millennia, is home to seven (!) UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is, incidentally, also one of the most economically advanced cities in the world.
In a city with so much to offer, compiling a list of just 10 top sights is no easy task. As one of the world’s largest cities, where tradition meets striking modernity, Beijing offers countless attractions! However, one has to start somewhere, so here are 10 things you absolutely must see and experience when visiting Beijing.

Nothing at Tiananmen Square recalls the protests of 1989 and the subsequent violent suppression by the military. Surrounded by the National Museum, the Parliament, Mao’s Mausoleum, and the Forbidden City, the “Square of Heavenly Peace” actually appears very peaceful and inconspicuous. In the centre, China’s flag flies on a tall mast and a ten-storey obelisk, the “Monument to the People’s Heroes”, rises into the sky. Why should you visit this square?

Firstly, it is impressive to know that Tiananmen Square is the largest open urban space in the world. Secondly, there is the high political significance of the square: important state occasions have been and continue to be celebrated here, such as military parades or state receptions. The importance and symbolic meaning of the square is also evident from the numerous security personnel who inspect every rucksack and bag before you are allowed to enter the square.

For a visit to Tiananmen Square, we definitely recommend arriving in the early morning hours to witness the flag-raising ceremony. Every morning at sunrise, the flag is raised and celebrated—a marvellous spectacle that is also observed in Chinese schools (though only on Mondays)!

The Forbidden City in Beijing is one of the landmarks almost synonymous with China. However, this symbol of China is anything but forbidden today: 16 million people visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site every year, and the number is rising! It is therefore hardly surprising that this monument of monumental importance is particularly busy at weekends and on public holidays. We therefore recommend visiting the Forbidden City during the week and, depending on the weather, bringing plenty of sun cream and hats or caps, as the vast squares within the walls offer very little shade.

For the curious: Built over 600 years ago (1406–1420), the Forbidden City served as the seat of government and residence for the Ming and Qing dynasties. According to legend, the expansive squares are so empty so that assassins could not hide there. In any case, it is one of the most impressive fortresses and seats of government in the world!

Hidden just behind the imposing Forbidden City lies Jingshan Hill. It is considered an insider tip for those exploring Beijing, as not every traveller finds the time to climb the small hill. Once you have made your way around or through the Forbidden City heading north, you are only about 20 minutes of stair climbing away from the summit. From the top, provided the weather is right, you are rewarded with a magnificent view of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square!

For our history enthusiasts: The last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen/Zhu You, chose to take his own life rather than be captured when the Shun Dynasty invaded. He fled to Jingshan Park and hanged himself – and the tree where this happened still stands here today! If you wish to visit the park, you need to pay an entrance fee of 2 RMB… which is about 25 pence!

It cannot be emphasised enough how much the Peking duck at your favourite local Chinese restaurant differs from the authentic Peking duck in Beijing: if the former is more like an old Golf, the real Peking duck is closer to a Mercedes.

The delicate strips of duck are carved from the bird at the table by a chef and served with a selection of accompaniments. First, you take one of the palm-sized pancakes and add some vegetables (usually cucumber, lettuce and onions). Next, you dip the duck meat into the sauce, place it with the vegetables, and roll everything together into a sort of wrap. Now all that remains is to enjoy this delicious dish. Incredibly tasty!

Like any other city, Beijing had to face the challenges of modernity while at the same time preserving its own traditions. However, whereas Western cities had two centuries to undergo this process, Beijing had to accomplish it within just a few decades.

Hutongs are the old residential districts in Beijing, built in the traditional architectural style, which shaped the entire cityscape centuries ago. In order to keep up with the changing times, many of these historic hutongs were swiftly demolished to make way for modern high-rise buildings and shopping malls. It is a real shame, as some were thousands of years old and had been home to families for centuries. Fortunately, there are still some hutongs today, ranging from completely classic, untouched hutongs to renovated ones with a modern facelift.

Two particularly noteworthy hutongs are NLGX (Nanluoguxiang) and Wudaoying. The restoration of these areas does not detract from their historical charm: in the many alleys, side alleys, and even smaller lanes, it is still very easy to lose your way, stroll from a small bar to a café, and satisfy your appetite in traditional restaurants. Don’t forget your camera!

The Great Wall of China is as well-known a landmark as the Forbidden City. Visiting this monument is a must for travellers to China, as an old saying (adapted for the demands of the 21st century) goes: “You have only truly lived if you have climbed the Wall!”

Near Beijing, the “stone dragon” winds its way through the mountains. Construction of this monumental structure began as early as 220 BC, to protect the Chinese Empire against various nomadic groups and later also to safeguard the Silk Road. Over the following millennia, the wall was extended by the ruling dynasties, and today this UNESCO World Heritage Site measures a total length of over 21,000 km. In doing so, the Wall passes through an impressive 15 provinces of China!

Here’s another tip: avoid weekends and public holidays, and be sure to bring enough sun cream and something to provide shade!

Nowadays, you will not usually find Mongolian invaders at the Great Wall, but rather hordes of tourists wielding selfie sticks. If you wish to avoid this, it is best not to visit Badaling. This section of the Wall is Disney-fied and a real tourist trap. Instead, we recommend exploring Mutianyu, Jinshanling, Gubeikou or Simatai. The latter sections in particular are unrestored and perfect for adventure enthusiasts!

This temple once served the Emperor of China as a place to offer sacrifices to the gods. The Emperor was regarded as the link between the gods in heaven and the earth, and it was his duty to carry out the will of the gods.

At the same time, however, the Emperor was also permitted to communicate the will and wishes of the people and, in return for the sacrifices, for example, to ask for a bountiful harvest. The rituals had to be performed perfectly, as even the slightest deviation was considered a bad omen for the coming year and for the entire nation.

After the temple had been almost forgotten for several years, it was restored and opened to the public following its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. A spacious park surrounds the temple.

Today, numerous exhibitions and even some of the most important cultural events in China’s art scene take place in the factories of the former military site – for example, the Beijing Design Week or the Beijing Queer Film Festival. If the buildings here seem strangely familiar to you, it could be due to the largest cooperation between China and the GDR. True to the Bauhaus principle, where form follows function, the buildings were constructed with efficiency in mind: large windows in vaulted ceilings for maximum daylight, spacious halls, and so on.

First of all: there are, unfortunately, no animal representatives of Buddhism from South America wandering around this temple. Instead, it is the largest Lamaist temple outside Tibet. Lamaism is one of the groups within the Buddhist religion, whose leader is the Dalai Lama. Hence the Western name “Lama Temple”. In Chinese, by the way, the temple is called the “Palace of Truth and Peace”.

The temple is popular with both the local population and tourists. For a small fee, you can purchase incense sticks and light them in the temple while praying. The smoke drives away evil spirits, so that the prayers are heard by the gods. Incidentally, the temple complex is quite large and even houses real Lamaist monks – right in the midst of the surrounding hutongs!

The name is somewhat misleading: in fact, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is not a single building, but an entire vast park, including a lake area, hills, and woodlands! Here, you can be fascinated by the various buildings. For example, there is a bridge to one of the islands in the middle of the lake, whose balustrade features a variety of individually crafted lions. Or, of course, the symbolic Hall of Longevity on one of the hills. A visit is definitely worthwhile, but make sure to bring enough water with you, otherwise you will have to buy the expensive water on site.

Did you know? The Chinese love beer! That’s all well and good, but for us beer-loving Germans, there would be a slight problem: most Chinese beers taste dreadful! They have a chemical, metallic flavour, are watered down, and contain only 3-4% alcohol… That’s definitely not how the German beer connoisseur imagines their pint! Fortunately, there are a few smaller local breweries in China that are worth every penny and brew truly excellent beer:

• Jing A,

• Slow Boat

• Great Leap

• Jianchang Beer

Cheers!

Beijing is definitely one of the most fascinating and diverse cities in China – and perhaps even in the whole world? Due to the sheer number of sights, Beijing is certainly worth a visit, or actually several, if you want to see everything the capital has to offer. Of course, there are countless other attractions, but listing them all would go beyond the scope here!

Has your curiosity and wanderlust been sparked? Brilliant! Feel free to take a look at our various travel routes through China – perhaps your next adventure is among them!

Thank you for reading and see you next time! 再见!