Introduction
China is a vast country with many different landscapes and cultural influences. It’s rich in history, from its early beginnings dating back to the Shang Dynasty to modern times. But even though China has been around for thousands of years, it’s still a new tourist destination; there are plenty of places that only relatively recently opened their doors to foreigners. That makes visiting China exciting—you can go back in time by visiting ancient ruins or marveling at how far technology has come by having dinner at an innovative restaurant made by local chefs.
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood and other materials. The Great Wall stretches about 5500 miles (8500 kilometers) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west.
The Great Wall was first built during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), but has been rebuilt many times since then.
The Cultural Revolution was a time when many parts of China’s culture were destroyed by Mao Zedong’s Red Guard because they thought these things were “old fashioned”.
Buddhist footprint
Buddhist footprint is a rock carving that is carved into the side of a cliff in the Dazu Rock Carvings. It is thought to be made by Buddhist monks between 900 and 1000 AD. The carving depicts an enormous footprint with toes, heels and even individual toes visible. The size of this footprint is thought to be about 3 meters long (9 feet). This means that whoever left their mark there must have been quite large!
The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is a palace complex in Beijing, China. It was constructed during the early Ming Dynasty and served as the home of emperors for almost 500 years (1420-1912). The complex consists of 980 buildings with 8,707 rooms and covers 72 acres (29 hectares). The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 by UNESCO.
The Forbidden City was built in 1420 by Emperor Yongle who moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. It took 13 years to complete this massive project, which required more than 1 million workers! The complex includes many palaces and courtyards within its walls such as the Palace of Heavenly Purity or Taihe Dian; Imperial Garden or Qingyuan Yuan; Hall of Supreme Harmony or Taishan Gong; Palace Museum where you can learn about China’s history through exhibitions on calligraphy scrolls painted by famous artists like Huang Tingjian who lived between 1045 – 1105 CE; Music Pavilion where musicians would play music at night while people danced around bonfires outside their homes during festivals such as Lantern Festival held each spring when they celebrate Buddha’s birthday instead celebrating Easter like Christians do
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is one of the largest public squares in the world. It’s located in central Beijing, right next to the Forbidden City and the Great Hall of the People.
Tiananmen Square is famous for its size and beauty: there are many historical landmarks that surround it on all sides, including The Monument to People’s Heroes (a memorial), National Museum of China (which has exhibits about traditional Chinese culture), Bell Tower (which was built by Emperor Qianlong during his reign over Qing Dynasty), Mao Zedong Memorial Hall (dedicated to Chairman Mao) and Jingshan Park (a popular tourist attraction).
Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park
Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, China. The park encompasses three valleys: Wanda (or Wandazhen), Shuzheng and Zezi. The area has been protected since 1984 and was designated as one of China’s first four national parks in 1988.
It comprises high alpine meadows with clear lakes and waterfalls surrounded by tall trees which make it look like an oasis in the middle of nowhere! It’s absolutely stunning!
The major attractions are Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic Spot (which includes five scenic spots), Huanglong Valley Scenic Spot (which includes three scenic spots) and Tianzhu Peak Scenic Spot (the highest peak). Shuzheng Valley is another beautiful place to visit here but it can get very crowded at times so try not to go there on weekends if possible!
The Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in central Beijing. It was built in 1420, during the Ming Dynasty and served as the imperial temple where emperors worshipped their ancestors and prayed for good harvests. Today it’s still used for ceremonial purposes by the Chinese government and is open to tourists who want to see one of China’s most famous landmarks.
The entrance fee is 45 RMB ($7 USD), which includes admission into other nearby attractions such as Tiananmen Square or The Forbidden City (both must be paid separately). There are also guided tours available at extra cost if you want someone else doing all the talking!
Getting There: Take line 2 subway towards Jishuitan station (about 30 minutes) then switch to line 15 towards Beitucheng station (10 minutes). From there take bus 616 or 617 directly to Tiantan Dongmen stop — it takes about 50 minutes total from central Beijing.*
Terracotta Warriors and Horses (Xi’an)
The Terracotta Warriors and Horses in Xi’an are the most famous archaeological site in China. They were discovered in 1974 when a farmer was digging a well and found an arm, which led to excavations that uncovered 8,000 life-sized terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. The figures range from soldiers to horses and chariots with each one unique in its own way. While there are many other sites around China worth visiting like The Great Wall or Forbidden City (Beijing), these warriors are what make this country so spectacular!
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest hydroelectric power station. It was built to provide electricity for the country and control flooding on the Yangtze River. The dam has a length of 1,092 metres (3,570 ft), with a width of 350 metres (1,150 ft).
The dam stands between two cliffs, which are known as “the Big Cliff” and “the Small Cliff”. The former stands at 173 metres (568 ft), while its height has been estimated at about 140 metres (460 ft).[8] There are four spillways with a total discharge capacity of 13 cubic kilometres per year.[9] Each spillway consists of three gates: one each for letting water pass through when it needs to be released from behind-dam reservoirs during flood season; another that can be used only in emergencies such as earthquakes; finally there is an additional emergency spillway located near Jintai Town on river right side just below Xiaolangdi Reservoir
Travel to these landmarks in China.
Travel to these landmarks in China.
China is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, and there are many places to visit that will give you a taste of its history and culture. The Great Wall is one of the most famous landmarks in China, but there are many more that should not be missed when you have time on your hands! Check out our list below:
- Temple Of Heaven – Built by Emperor Kangxi in 1717, this beautiful temple was used as an area where he could pray for good weather during harvest season. It’s also known as Tiantan Park because it sits inside Tian’anmen Square (the main square). This park has been open since 1998; however, it wasn’t until 2008 before they allowed visitors inside due to safety concerns after 9/11 attacks occurred earlier that year.”
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this list of the top ten landmarks in China. As you can see, there is a lot to see and do in this country. From the Great Wall of China to Tiananmen Square, there are many amazing places worth visiting. I encourage everyone to take some time off from work or school so they can explore these incredible sites!
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