Beijing, being the capital of China, is not just home to many of the nation’s greatest treasures; it is also something of a transport hub through which even the most remote parts of China can be accessed. This makes Beijing a highly visited tourist spot. Foreigners in the city will have a dizzying number of options when it comes to places to visit and things to do. The city’s many amazing attractions can make it difficult to decide where to start, but the city has quite a few ‘must see’ attractions such as the National Museum, the Palace Museum, the Summer Palace, the National Stadium, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
While the Beijing Ancient Observatory does not enjoy the same renown as the city’s top attractions it is definitely worth a visit. Built around 1442, during the Ming Dynasty, the observatory is easily one of the oldest in the world. The museum complex spans an area of around ten thousand square metres and pre-dates telescopes. The area is divided into a building and a platform. The platform contains eight bronze instruments used in astronomy. One can find ancient astronomical instruments such as sundials, celestial globes and armillary spheres.
The Beijing Ancient Observatory is run in conjunction with the Beijing Planetarium and is an interesting visit. The historic observatory is located near the Jianguomen Bridge and is serviced by several buses. Those coming by subway have to get off at the Jianguomen Station and take a brief walk. The observatory is open from 9 am to 6 pm during the summer months and closes earlier (4.30 pm) in the winter months. Tickets cost about CNY 10. Those who intend on visiting should plan to spend about an hour here which is more than enough to take in all the displays.
As a modern metropolis Beijing has excellent infrastructure. The public transport is extensive and efficient, while accommodation and restaurants are plentiful. To enjoy some of the best hotel rooms in Beijing try the Langham Place Beijing Capital Airport. The Beijing airport hotel provides a plethora of modern amenities and offers convenient access to the Chinese capital and all its attractions.
Umanga Kahandawaarachchi is a passionate travel writer who writes under the pen name, Maggie Tulliver. Her field of writing covers a wide array of content and articles related to travel and hospitality industry.
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