Page 78 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Beijing

76 ❯❯ Beijing Area by Area

Legation Quarter
5
MAP M5 • Subway: Qian Men
At the end of the Second Opium War,
in 1860, foreign delegations were
permitted to take up residence in a
quarter southeast of the Forbidden
City. On Dong Jiao Min Xiang and
the surrounding streets, the first
modern foreign buildings in Beijing
took root. The embassies have long
since left, and new occupants have
moved in. The former American Looking inside Niu Jie Mosque
legation, for instance, is now a bar,
Niu Jie Mosque
restaurant, and lifestyle complex. 7
Also here are the former City Bank MAP C6 • 88 Niu Jie • 6353
of New York, now the Beijing Police 2564 • Subway: Guanganmennei, then
Museum (see p40), and St. Michael’s walk • Open 8am–sunset daily • Adm
Church (see p43). Beijing’s oldest and largest mosque
dates back to the 10th century. It’s
an attractive building with Islamic
THE BOXERS motifs and Arabic verses decorating
The Boxers, a band of xenophobic its halls. Astro nomical observations
rebels from north China who rose up to were made from the tower-like
rid China of the “foreign devils,” drew Wangyue Lou. The lush courtyard
from superstitious rituals that they is an idyllic escape from the city
believed made them invulnerable. streets. Visitors should dress
Supported by the Empress Dowager conservatively, and non-Muslims are
Cixi (see p29), the rebels laid waste to not allowed to enter the prayer hall.
Beijing’s Legation Quarter in 1900
while besieging the district’s foreign South Cathedral
population. The siege was eventually 8
broken by an eight-power allied force. MAP J6 • 141 Qian Men Xi
Dajie • Subway: Xuanwu Men
The first Catholic church to be
Temple of Heaven
6 built in Beijing stands on the site
The name refers to a vast
of the residence of the first Jesuit
complex that encompasses a missionary to reach the city, Matteo
large, marble sacrificial altar, Ricci. Arriving in 1601, the Italian
the iconic three-story Hall of won the favor of the Wanli emperor
Prayer for Good Harvests, the by presenting him with gifts of
smaller Imperial Vault of European curiosities such as
Heaven, and many ancillary mathematical instruments and
buildings, all set in a clocks. Ricci founded the
landscaped park. Allow church in 1605, although
at least a half-day to the present building
take in everything dates to 1904,
(see pp16–17). replacing a
Ornate hall in
the Temple of
Heaven

Eyewitness Travel – Top 10 series LAYERS PRINTED:
Two-column, 8.5pt grid “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v.1.9)
074-077_Top_10_Beijing.indd 76 27/06/2017 14:33
Date 24th June 2015
Size 100mm x 191mm