Beijing, China’s Historic Capital
Introduction
Beijing is the seat of China’s political power and a modern city, which is punctuated with colossal flyovers and multilane boulevards strewn with pockets of historical charm. In fact, Beijing is not only China’s capital city, but is also home to its greatest collection of historical sites.
Beijing, Dotted with Modern Architecture and Historic Sites
Beijing has uninterruptedly remained the capital of China since Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, first set foot on Chinese soil with his thousands of rogue Mongol horsemen in tow. In fact, the labyrinth of narrow alleyways, known as Hutongs, the history of which can be traced back to the Mongol-period, still amazes visitors to the city 700 years later.
A city rich in UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the allure of Beijing does not end there. The other highlights of the city that are equally fuelled by history include Tiananmen Square and the formidable and legendary Great Wall of China.Toss into the mix of Beijing’s historic and cultural attractions the chic 798 Art District, a melting pot of contemporary art and China’s communist history and the 528m CITIC Tower, looming over the city.
All of Minds Abroad’s individual and faculty-led programs include an optional trip to Beijing. For those who have not visited the city before, we highly recommend choosing to opt for the Beijing trip.