# FORBIDDEN CITY (Palace Museum) 8 
The Forbidden City, China's most significant sight, is a massive palace complex consisting of ninety (!) palaces, 980 buildings, and 8,704 rooms spread over 720,000 square meters [178 acres].
Some of the most breathtaking sections of the palace include the Meridian Gate, the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the northwest corner tower, and the Imperial Garden.
The complex, situated in the very heart of Beijing, was built in the early 15th century, and is officially called the Palace Museum.
Palatial Buildings World Heritage Site: since 1987
by DrM4ng0 / CC BY-SA 4.0
# SUMMER PALACE 7 
Said to be the best-preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest (2.9 km2, 716 acres) of its kind, the Summer Palace complex, built in the 18th Century, contains splendid royal gardens, lakes, temples, pavilions, Pagodas, bridges, and palaces.
Visit the Long Corridor, a 728 m-long covered gallery famous for its rich painted decoration (more than 14,000 paintings), the 96 m-long Stone Boat, and climb the temple steps to the summit of Longevity Hill for amazing views of the entire complex and Kunming Lake.
Imperial Garden World Heritage Site: since 1998
by Jakub Hałun / CC BY-SA 3.0
# TEMPLE OF HEAVEN 7
Dating back to the early 15th century, the Temple of Heaven is an imperial complex of religious buildings surrounded by an extensive park (totaling 2.67 km2, 660 acres).
Among the highlights are the iconic Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with its cylindrical, blue-tiled roof and a beautifully decorated ceiling, and the Hall of the Vault of Heaven (Huangqiong Yu).
Complex of Religious Buildings and Park World Heritage Site: since 1998
by Philip Larson / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Tiananmen Square 7
This famous rectangular area, where Mao Zedong declared the foundation of the People's Republic on October 1, 1949, is the world's largest (440,500 m²) public square.
Tiananmen Square is surrounded by some of Beijing’s most significant landmarks including the Forbidden City, the Great Hall of the People, Chairman Mao's Mausoleum, and the National Museum of China.
by Yo Hibino / CC BY-SA 2.0
# National Museum of China 6 
Situated on the eastern side of Tiananmen Square, the National Museum of China is the second-most visited museum in the world, just after the Louvre.
The vast museum covers Chinese history from 1.7 million years ago to the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.
Among the most important exhibits are the "Houmuwu" Rectangle Ding, a rectangular bronze sacrificial vessel made in the late Shang Dynasty (c. 1147–1112 BCE), the heaviest piece of ancient bronzeware in the world (832.84 kg), and a Han Dynasty jade burial suit laced with gold thread, created 55 BCE.
Museum Gallery Space: 200,000 m2 / 2.2 million ft2 | Exhibition Halls: 48 | Collection: 1,050,000 items | Established: 2003 | Visitors (2017): 8,062,625
by Daniel Case / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) 5.5 
Above the central archway of this iconic Gate hangs a large portrait of Chairman Mao Zedong. It was from atop this gate, Mao proclaimed the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949.
by Daniel Case / CC BY-SA 3.0
# National Centre of Performing Arts 5.5
Nicknamed the Giant Egg due to its titanium glass oval shell, this spectacular semi-spherical building is considered one of the best opera houses in Asia.
Opera House | Modern Architecture Completed: 2007 | Architect: Paul Andreu | Total Cost: €300 million
by Evilbish / CC BY-SA 3.0
# Beihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan) 5.5
First built during the 11th century just a short distance from the Imperial Palace, this lush urban park and a former royal garden is located and contains numerous historically important structures, palaces, and temples.
Highlights include the Temple of Everlasting Peace, White Dagoba, Jade Flower Island, and the Circular City, home to the largest jade urn in the world.
Imperial Garden Land Area: 0.69 km2 / 171 acres | Created: 1150 (Original) / 1925 (Modern Park)
by Bjoertvedt / CC BY-SA 4.0
# Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple) (Palace of Peace and Harmony) 5.5
Originally built in 1694 with a combination of Tibetan and Han Chinese styles, this complex of beautifully designed buildings features a series of grand halls covered in exquisite woodcarving and ornamental tiles, a giant ancient bell, and an enormous 18-meter-high sandalwood statue.
by Jorge Láscar / CC BY-SA 2.0
# Prince Gong's Mansion (Prince Kung's Mansion) 5.5
Constructed around the year 1777 with a wonderful garden, Prince Gong’s Mansion is Beijing's largest (more than thirty buildings) and the best-preserved princely mansion of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
by OnMyWayTo / CC BY-SA 2.0