Beijing has a long history with an abundance of historical and cultural heritage that represents treasures from the city's civilizations.

Temples and Religions

Beijing has many temples. Through them one can learn about the development of different religions in Beijing .

Tanzhe Temple , the largest of all the Buddhist temples in Beijing , has a long history dating back as early as the 3rd century AD (Jin Dynasty).

The largest Taoist temple in Beijing is the White Cloud Temple. Built during the Tang Dynasty, it was once the Taoist center of North China .

Tibetan Buddhism was introduced to Beijing before the Yuan Dynasty (1271 AD). Tibetan Buddhist temple (Lama temples) have been built in Beijing since that time. The White Dagoba Temple is one of the earliest Lama temples in existence, and dates back to the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. The Yonghe Lamasery is the city's largest Lama temple , serving as the upper court of the Yellow Sect Lamaism. It was built during the Qing Dynasty.

Landmark Structures

The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is the largest and most magnificent cluster of ancient buildings in China . It is a great achievement of Chinese architecture. Built between 1406 and 1420 during the Ming Dynasty, it was residence to two dynasties of emperors, the Ming and the Qing. From the palace the emperors governed China . The construction of the Forbidden City symbolized the supremacy of emperors.

Ming Tombs

This is an imperial tomb site where 13 Ming emperors were buried. The Dingling Tomb is the second-largest tomb, and it is the first of the 13 tombs to be excavated and opened to the public. It is an example of a typical imperial tomb.