As we exited the MRT Station, we saw the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing. The NCPA was designed by the famous French architect Paul Andreu. The NCPA serves as an opera house.
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| NCPA during a dark winter day! |
We decided to go to the Forbidden City first before going to the Tiananmen Square. On the way to Forbidden City, we passed by Tiananmen Gate, formerly called Gate of Heavenly Peace. This gate has been the cover of several travel articles on Beijing.
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| Tiananmen Gate |
After passing through the Tiananmen Gate, we proceeded to the Forbidden City and paid the entrance fee of CNY 40 (approximately Php 240).
Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace during the Ming Dynasty. The complex exhibits traditional Chinese architecture. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the Forbidden City is one of the main tourist attractions in Beijing.
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| Temples in the Forbidden City |
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| You will never go hungry inside the Forbidden City |
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| They rent audioguides at CNY 40. |
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| First time to see a frozen river while exiting Forbidden City |
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| Hall of Supreme Harmony |
We proceeded to Tiananmen Square after. Tiananmen Square is one of the largest city squares in the world. When visiting the square, you cannot help but notice a significant number of policemen roaming the area.
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| Tiananmen Square in winter |
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| Tiananmen Gate as viewed from Tiananmen Square |
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| National Museum of China |
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| Monument to the People's Heroes |
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| Mausoleum of Mao Tse Tung |
Our visit to Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square ate much of our time in Day 1. At around 2pm, we decided to stop our tour around the area to eat at a local noodle house and catch the 4pm mass at the St. Joseph's Cathedral.
Next Post: Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral and Kung Fu Show at the Red Theater
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