Top 10:

Beijing Castles, Palaces & Historic Buildings

    • Forbidden City (Gu Gong) - Beijing

      • 1. Forbidden City (Gu Gong)

      • China's greatest imperial palace complex
        • Landmarks
        • Dong Cheng District
      • Nile Expert Tip: The main draw of Forbidden City is the impressive Imperial architecture and the sheer scale of the palace....
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      expert pick 
    • Summer Palace (The) - Beijing

      • 2. Summer Palace (The)

      • Historic Imperial Residence in Park Setting
        • Attractions
        • Hai Dian District
    • Ruins of the Old Summer Palace - Beijing
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    • Yonghe Gong (Lama Temple) - Beijing
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    • Temple of Heaven (Tian Tan) - Beijing
      user rating
      expert pick 
    • Imperial Granary - Beijing

      • 6. Imperial Granary

      • Rice and History Stored Here
        • Castles, Palaces & Historic Buildings
        • Chao Yang District
    • Huoshen Temple - Beijing

      • 7. Huoshen Temple

      • 1000 Year Old Temple to the Fire God
        • Castles, Palaces & Historic Buildings
        • Xi Cheng District
    • Ancient Observatory (Gu Guanxiang Tai) - Beijing
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    • Bell Tower - Beijing

      • 9. Bell Tower

      • Enormous Bell
        • Attractions
        • Dong Cheng District
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    • Drum Tower - Beijing

      • 10. Drum Tower

      • Listen for the Time
        • Attractions
        • Dong Cheng District
    See all 593 Things to Do in Beijing: 1
  • The Best of NileGuide
  • History is alive in Beijing! The very center of the city is an ancient meeting square in front of the Forbidden City, where Emperors of old would address the plebs from on high. The Palace itself is an amazing piece of architecture, aside from a historical landmark of epic importance in China.

    The Forbidden City, the Palace of the Emperors and Concubines, where decisions were made for the world's most populated country. Any visit to China is incomplete without visiting the Forbidden City.

    The Summer Palace is where the lords, ladies and Kings of China would sojourn in the summer heat to escape the smells and sounds of a sweltering Beijing.

    Before there was the Summer  Palace there was the original Yuan Ming Yuan Summer Palace which today consists of piles of ruins and the ground floor layout. For history lovers, this is a must see, and well worth the trip out.

    Yonghe Gong Lama Temple is an ancient structure where Beijing locals still go today to practice their religion. You'll be amazed at how long the building has stood and how many believers have passed through it. HuoShen Temple is a worshiping ground for the fire god, conveniently located near the lake. Meanwhile, the Temple of Heaven dates back several hundred years and was an important religious and pagan center for believers and merchants as well as royalty.

    The Imperial granaries are a rebuilt structure based on the original hutong granaries that stocked the palace coffers. Now you'll find them pleasantly restored and housing fancy restaurants and shops as well as paying homage to their purpose of old.

    The Drum and Bell Towers were directly in line with the Forbidden City, which was in line with the Temple of Heaven. Together, the yin and yang of these structures (centered around the city wall) made for an eye-pleasing view from on high.

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