Beijing

Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China as well as the country's political, economic, cultural and transportation center, is located in the northwest part of the North China Plain, covering an area of 16,800 square km. Beijing is the second largest city in China with a population of more than 12 million. The city consists of 18 districts and counties. As a world-renowned ancient cultural city, it was home to Peking Man about 500,000 years ago. Beijing's history as a city goes back to 1045 BC. For a span of 800 years, Beijing was the capital of China, or to be specific, the provisional capital of Liao (907-1125) and capital for Jin (1115-1234), Yuan (1279-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911). For having served as a capital for several dynasties, the city is boasting many world-famous architectural wonders, precious artifacts and historical monuments as follow :

• The Great Wall, one of the most amazing wonders of man-made construction on earth
• The Forbidden City , the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, now the largest and best preserved ancient architecture in China
• The Summer Palace, a royal garden for the Qing court, a concentration of the best of ancient buildings as well as styles of gardening
• The Ming tombs, the mausoleums of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors
• The Temple of Heaven, where the Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests

Any visit to this modern capital must include a trip to these major historical sites. But it's certainly worth getting to know Beijing a little deeper than this. Take some time and make the effort to explore the sites that are less well known. The Hutongs, the small windy alleyways between the city's main boulevards are delightful. Taking a stroll here, you'll experience the more authentic parts of the city and really get to grips with the old Beijing

A rich heritage in culture and art brought to life by burgeoning urban development has made Beijing the dream place to be for travelers from around the world.