The entrance to the Forbidden City at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China The Chinese emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasty ruled their empire from The Forbidden City. Located in the center of the Chinese capital Beijing, the city was built and completed under the emperor Yongle in 1422. It is surrounded by numerous imperial gardens and temples. Above the entrance you can see the portrait of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong. On normal days the complex is crowded with (Chinese) tourists. Inside the Forbidden City Another part of the Forbidden City. In the background one can see the White Dagoba (a stupa) on Qionghua Island (Jade Flower Island) in…

The Great Hall of the People in Beijing The Great Hall of the People is a state building west of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the government of China. As you can derive from the small size of the people standing on the chairs to the entrance of the building, the Great Hall is really great. The Great Hall of the People consists of three sections, the central part includes the Great Auditorium, with can simultaneously seat 10,000 representatives.

The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, Tiananmen Square, Beijing The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong (or Chairman Mao Memorial Hall) is the final resting place of Mao Zedong, the chairman of the Communist Party of China, who died on September 9, 1976. An enormous building which, given Mao’s wish to be cremated, is quite unusual. His wish was ignored and his body was embalmed and mummified. China’s leaders believed that his body should be preserved for posterity.

Gatehouse Zhengyangmen This 42 meters tall gatehouse is situated to the south of Tiananmen Square and once guarded the southern entry into the Inner City. Zhengyangmen was first build during the Ming dynasty in the early years of the 15th century. On this hot summer day, hundreds of swallows flew around the gate. In this photo you can see them as tiny black dots against the blue sky.

The Temple of Heaven in Beijng Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the largest building in the Temple of Heaven. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for a good harvest. The temple complex was constructed in the beginning of the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty. The Temple of Heaven is located few kilometers south of Tiananmen Square.