Zhengyangmen
The front gate.
poeloq — CC BY 2.0 · Temlsth — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China — CC0 · Gisling — CC BY 3.0 · Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China — CC0 · Fumihiko Ueno — CC BY 3.0 · WiNG — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gisling — CC BY 3.0
The old commercial quarter south of Tiananmen Square, where Qianmen Street runs south from Zhengyangmen, the «front gate» of the Ming inner city, first built in 1419; its tower is the only one left of the inner city's nine gate towers. Qianmen Street is now a pedestrian street of old-style shopfronts, and to its west lies Dashilar, a narrow lane about 275 m long lined with long-established shops, among them pharmacies, silk and fabric shops, tea and shoe makers, some trading since the Qing dynasty, in a web of lanes that keep the feel of old Beijing. Walking around is free at any time. Beware of friendly strangers who invite visitors to a tea house or an art show and then present a huge bill, a known trick in central Beijing.
The front gate.
Historic shops.
Pedestrian only.
South of Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng and Xicheng districts
National Museum of ChinaThe museum of art and history on the east side of Tiananmen Square, in a vast co13 minutes walk
Tiananmen SquareA vast square in the heart of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen, the «Gate of H15 minutes walk4.5
Liulichang Culture StreetA street of grey-brick shops in Xicheng, south-west of Qianmen, named after a gl15 minutes walk
National Centre for the Performing Arts (The Egg)Beijing's national arts centre, known as «the Egg», a titanium-and-glass dome by17 minutes walk
Temple of HeavenAn imperial complex in south-east central Beijing where the Ming and Qing empero21 minutes walk4.7Most street snacks contain pork; Beijing's halal hub is the Niujie Mosque area, about 3 km south-west of Qianmen, with many Hui Muslim restaurants.