Beijing UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Temple of Heaven
The Ming dynasty Temple of Heaven has become almost an icon of Beijing and is a must-see on any visit to the city. Founded in the early fifteenth century, the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan), is a complex of cult buildings set in a large park. It was here that the Emperor performed important rituals throughout the year. The design of the buildings had a lasting influence on religious architecture throughout Asia.
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang
The Forbidden City and the Imperial Palace in Shenyang have been listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The palace in Shenyang is a smaller version of the Beijing palace and was constructed between 1625-26 and 1783.
The Summer Palace and Imperial Garden
The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) dates from the mid-eighteenth century and was built as a summer retreat from the Forbidden City. It was destroyed by Western forces in 1860 but restored in 1886 and again after 1949. The palace complex consists of a number of residences and temples.
The Great Wall
The Great Wall is the world's largest military structure and was constructed from the second century BC to the seventeenth century AD. Over 600 km of the wall dating from the Ming Dynasty are accessible to the north of Beijing.
Parts of the wall such as the 18 km-long Juyongguan Pass section are just over 50 km north of Beijing.
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