Beijing Things to Do Tips by filipdebont

We arrived in the early morning in Beijing. After the check-in in the hotel, we were totally ready to discover Beijing.

With my city map in the hand I started walking in the direction of Beijing Highlight Number 1: Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

But soon I found out that in Beijing all distance seemed bigger than they looked on the map. So I had already walked about half an hour, and I was still far from my destination. So I decided to go to the nearest Metro station to continue my journey. Like this I arrived at the Tiananmen Square a few minutes later.

When I left the Metro building at Tiananmen Square, the Qianmen was the first "Chinese building" I did see.

This Qianmen is in fact a double gate. On the picture you can see the southern gate, the Front gate also known as the Arrow Tower.

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Address: Qianmen Dogdajie
Directions: South Side of Tiananmen Square
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

So Qianmen is in fact a double gate, in the previous tip you could see the southern part, the Arrow Tower. The Northern part, the one closest to the Tiananmen Square is the Main Gate, or this City Building.

It is possible to climb this gate (for a small fee); I did not do that as there was still so much to see around this big Tiananmen Square.

This Qianmen gate dates from the 15th century, and is one of the few remains of the Imperial City wall.

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

Behind the Qianmen (Front Gate), there is another big building; it is the Mao Zedong Mausoleum (Mao Zhuxi Jiniantang).

Inside this building you can see the balsamed body of Mao in a Crystal tomb, wrapped in the Chinese flag.

However some sources tell that it is not the real body which is in there but a wax copy . . .

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

The Memorial hall for Chairman Mao or the Mao Zedong Mausoleum is inaugurated on the first anniversary of Mao's death. It was built in a Chinese version of Roman classicism.

An eye catcher is certainly the big statues you can see on both sides of the building.

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

After I had walked around the Mao Zedong Mausoleum, I finally arrived at the Tiananmen Square.

Wow, so big, this is certainly the biggest square I have ever seen.

Of course every one knows the terrible history of this Tiananmen Square and the images of the young student who tries to stop the Chinese tanks.

But now it is very busy and filled with photographing tourists (mostly Chinese).

In the middle of the square there is the monument to the People's Heroes.

And on the Northern side you can visit the Forbidden City.

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

In the middle of the big Tiananmen Square, there is a big monument. It is the Monument to the People's Heroes (Renmin Yingxiong Jinianbei).

The monument is 37 metres high and made of granite. On it is an inscription of Mao Zedong: The People's Heroes are immortal.

At the lower part of this monument you can see some bas-reliefs which display some important facts in the revolutionary battle.

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

Oh yes, the Tiananmen Square was very crowded.

It looks as this big Square is not only a highlight for us, Westerner tourists.

This Tiananmen Square was very full with . . . Chinese tourists. Herds of young tourists passed by all dressed with the same shirts and base-ball caps, in order to recognise them and to keep the group together. And of course accompanied by a guide with the typical guide-flag.

Follow the guide please . . . .

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

On the western side of Tiananmen Square, you can see a big building (see picture), in fact it is the Great Hall of the People (Renmin Dahuitang).

In this building the national people's congress comes together. This is also the place where the Chinese leaders invite their important foreign guests.

What's the reason they did not invite me while I was in Beijing?

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

On the other side of the Tiananmen Square, the Eastern side you can visit two museums.

The one is the Chinese Revolution museum (Zhongguo Geming Bowuguan), where you can learn more on the revolutionary commitment and the role of the Communist party.

And the other one is the museum of Chinese History (Zhongguo Lishi Bowuguan), were you can learn everything on the Chinese history, like about the Beijing man, the terracotta statues from Xi’an . . .

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html

Another highlight at the big Tiananmen Square is the raising of the flag. Well this, if you like to get up early as it happens everyday at sunrise.

And there is of course the lowering of the flag at the end of the day, at sunset. But if you want to see this be prepared for a long waiting if you want a good view, as this one of the favourite highlights to the Chinese.

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Address: Tiananmen Square
Directions: In the very center of Beijing
Website: http://www.roundtiananmensquare.com/index.html