Geogad has added a new tour to its collection of professional tours: Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City. Like Geogad’s tour of the Angkor Wat Temple Complex, this tour brings an ancient empire back to life for the travelers walking in the footsteps of royalty. This time, the tour covers Beijing’s two must-see attractions, Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden Palace.

Tian’anmen began its existance as the entryway to the Forbidden City. It also had the dubious distinction of being the closest location for commoners to be to China’s emperor, who was the Son of Heaven and literally a god on earth. With the fall of China’s last imperial dynasty in 1912 and the rise of Mao’s Communist Party, Tian’anmen Square was transformed to four times its original size. Now it can hold 1 million people for parades, celbrations and, most imfamously, protests of the government.

The Forbidden City was the winter palace for China’s emperors since 1420. This palace complex was the work of Emperor Yongle, who wrestled his empire with his large army from his nephem, who tried to have him stripped of his title and powers. This largest palace complex was built in just 13 years and has remained much the same as his original design through the reigns of dozens of emperors, rebellions, multiple conquests from invading armies and two different imerial dynasties.

Let Geogad add to your Beijing sightseeing by helping you to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site and this great treasure of Chinese culture.

Tags: Beijiing, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square

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