Beijing transportation and tourism map

Author: Ji Yong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Beijing urban map, Beijing suburban map, political divisions, transportation, travel guide. Tiananmen Square is located at the center of Beijing, stretching 880 meters north to south and 500 meters east to west, covering a total area of 440,000 square meters and capable of accommodating up to one million people at a time. It is currently the largest city square in the world. Tiananmen Square was once a royal courtyard square in the feudal era, located outside the Forbidden City, surrounded by walls on its east, west, and south sides, forming a forbidden area for ordinary people. In 1958, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, over 1,000 designers and architects participated in a design competition for the renovation of Tiananmen Square. Over the years, it underwent several more renovations to form its current layout: at the northern end of the square stands the magnificent Tiananmen Gate Tower, opposite which the national flag of the People's Republic of China waves proudly. In the center of the square stands the Monument to the People's Heroes and the solemn Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. To the west is the Great Hall of the People, which also serves as the headquarters of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China. To the south are two ancient gate towers built in the 14th century—Zhengyang Gate and the Arrow Tower of Qianmen. The entire square is magnificent, symmetrical, harmonious, and awe-inspiring.
The Badaling Great Wall is located in the southern part of Yanqing County, northwest of Beijing's urban area, about 75 kilometers from the city center. The Badaling Great Wall is a part of China's ancient defensive, the Great Wall, built in the 18th year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1505). It was repaired during the Jiajing and Wanli eras of the Ming Dynasty. This section of the Great Wall is steep and rugged, offering a commanding view from its high vantage point, making it an important military pass and a significant defensive barrier for Beijing, the capital. The Badaling Great Wall winds through towering mountains, built along the terrain, with ups and downs and winding paths. Located outside the Juyong Pass, Badaling has two gates—Dongmen (Juyong Wai Zhen) and Ximen (Beimen Suoyao). The gate city is narrower on the east side and wider on the west side. The Great Wall starts from the city platform of the "Beimen Suoyao" gate, built along the mountains, with uneven walls, averaging about 7.5 meters in height and about 6 meters in width at the top, capable of accommodating five horses abreast or ten people side by side. The walls of this section are paved with neatly arranged large stones, some of which are as long as 2 meters and weigh hundreds of pounds. The interior is filled with soil and stones, while the top of the wall is covered with square bricks, making it very flat. High parapets, 1.7 meters in height, are built along the outer edge of the wall, equipped with observation holes on top and shooting holes at the bottom, while the inner side has a parapet. Every, a square city platform in the shape of a fortress is built. These platforms vary in height—higher ones are called "enemy towers," used for guarding and soldier accommodations, while lower ones are called "wall platforms," with heights similar to the walls but extending outward, surrounded by parapets, used for patrolling and sentry duty. On the highest points, beacon towers (smoke towers) are also built, ancient facilities for transmitting warning signals. Since October 1, 1995, every weekend, 650 colorful spotlights light up a dazzling display over a 1,200-meter distance from south to north along the four beacon towers of the Badaling Great Wall. The area is open to visitors from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM every evening.