Beijinghas a history of more than 3000 years of construction and more than 850 years of founding capital, with the first name "ji(蓟)".During the republic of China , it named "Beiping". After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it became the capital and was called"jing(京)" for short. Now, Beijing is one of the four municipalities directly under the central government , the second largest city and political, travel and cultural center in China.
Beijing is located in the north part of North China Plain . Its southeast localized is connected to Tianjing and the rest is surrounded by Hebei Province. It gathers together the Chinese culture since Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasty, has many places of interest and humanistic landscape. Beijing is the city having the largest part of World Heritage, absorbing more than 147,000,000 tourists every year.
The Great Wall is the symbol of Chinese nation, is one of the greatest architectures in the world. It dates from Qin Dynasty ,has been successively supplemented and builded. The Great Wall that we can see today is builded in Ming Dynasty almost. The Badaling Great Wall is the best preserved one, also is the most representative one, is the essence of Ming Dynastic Great Wall, and it is the outpost of the most important gate. The Badaling Great Wall height at an altitude of 1015 meters hign, had always been the battleground because it is a strategic place.
The National Swimming Center (Water Cube)is located in the Olympic Park Beijing, is one of the landmarks of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The Water Cube is located in the one side of the northern end of the axis of Beijing city, while the National Stadium is located in the other side. Both of them form a relatively complete image of historical and cultural city. The National Aquatics Center planed to build 62,950m² with a total constructin area of 65,000m² to 80,000m², including not less than 15,000m² underground part of the construction area.
The Forbidden City, is located in the center of Beijing. It is the palaces of Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, and has been turned into the Palace Museum now. There are 24 emperors lived in there before. Art treasures of every dynastiy are displayed in the Forbidden City, which is the treasuty with the richest culture and art in China. The whole Fobidden City is very magnificent and solemn, known as one of the five major Palace (Beijing Forbidden City, Palace of Versailles, Buckingham Palace, the White House, the Kremlin) in the world, and listed as "World Cultural Heritage" by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization).
National Centre for the Performing Arts is located in the west of Beijing Tiananmen Square, to the west of the Great Hall and to the south of Chang'an Avenue. Its main building consists of external building envelop, interior including opera house, music hall, theater, public hall and ancillary space. There is the biggest pipe organ in Asia. Its central building with a semi-elliptical steel shell, is the biggest dome and the deepest building in the world.
some good places:The Mutian valley Great Wall, the Yuanmingyuan Park , the Bird's Nest, the Happy Valley, Beijing hutongs, Shicha Lake, the Ming Tombs(in Beijing), Tanzhe Temple, the Zizhuyuan park , the 798 Art District,etc.
more details: http://english.visitbeijing.com.cn/
