Five-colour altar
Coloured earth.
xiquinhosilva — CC BY 2.0 · Francisco Anzola — CC BY 2.0 · EditQ — CC0 · EditQ — CC0 · Haluk Comertel — CC BY 3.0 · EditQ — CC0 · EditQ — CC0 · 罗布泊 — CC BY 3.0
A park on the site of an old imperial altar south-west of the Forbidden City, west of Tiananmen Gate, the most central of Beijing's parks. At its heart is the Altar of Land and Grain, built by the Yongle Emperor in 1421, where the Ming and Qing emperors made offerings to the gods of earth and farming: a square terrace covered with earth in five colours that stand for the five elements of Chinese philosophy. The altar grounds became a public park in 1914 as «Central Park» and were renamed in 1928 after Sun Yat-sen; pavilions and covered walkways fill it, and in spring it is known for a large tulip show. Tickets are CNY 3, or 10 during the tulip show, and it is open from 6 am to 9 pm in spring and autumn and to 10 pm in summer, per visitor guides.
Coloured earth.
In spring.
And covered walks.
South-west of the Forbidden City, west of Tiananmen Gate, Dongcheng District
Imperial Ancestral Temple (Taimiao)An imperial compound just outside the Forbidden City, east of Tiananmen Gate, wh5 minutes walk
Tiananmen SquareA vast square in the heart of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen, the «Gate of H8 minutes walk4.5
Forbidden CityThe imperial palace complex in the heart of Beijing, built between 1406 and 14209 minutes walk4.7
National Centre for the Performing Arts (The Egg)Beijing's national arts centre, known as «the Egg», a titanium-and-glass dome by10 minutes walk
National Museum of ChinaThe museum of art and history on the east side of Tiananmen Square, in a vast co11 minutes walkUsually in spring, when tickets rise to CNY 10; the park is a few steps from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.