Beijing is a city of many facets; the historical Beijing with its landscaped gardens, pavilions and palaces paint a picture of Chinese imperial dominance, the communist Beijing pays homage to the cultural revolution of Mao and the commercial district of Beijing is at the centre of the world’s economy. The beauty of this city is that all these aspects still live on and congregate to create an urban culture that is unseen in any other city. Nowhere else can you find a metropolis where the grandeur of palaces live on right next to communist monuments like Tiananmen Square or a rampantly commercialized business district.
However, the heart of the Chinese capital will always belong to the historical Forbidden City, which was the site of the palace occupied by rulers of the Ming dynasty. The palace was the home of emperors for five hundred years, who wielded great power over swathes of land so large that it could easily accommodate several European countries. When the city of Peking was built during the Ming dynasty the rulers wanted it to be a functional seat of power, thus separate areas are designated for the royal residence, for the army commanders, administrative offices and also for barracks.
The area that was designated as the royal residence became known as the Forbidden City as mere mortals were not granted access. To enter into this realm of royalty one would have to be a member of the upper echelons of Imperial China.
Since the year 1925, the Forbidden City has been converted into the National Palace Museum that houses artefacts belonging to the Ming and Qing dynasties that used Peking or as it is known today, Beijing, as their capital. The ancient buildings that hark back to the days of the Emperor have been restored beautifully so that tourists entering here truly feel as if they are in a time capsule. Among the attractions that should be visited are the gates and the walls of the Imperial City, the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Hall of Military Eminence.
Guests staying at a Beijing hotel should definitely visit this location as it is the hallmark of China’s history. Those staying at Grand Millennium Beijing can also avail themselves to some great Beijing hotel deals involving this attraction.