Atlas of China
Beijing Ancient Observatory 古观象台Gǔ Guānxiàngtái
National heritage site · Beijing, Beijing
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Days to budget
- Half a day
- City
- Beijing
- Region
- Beijing
- Type
- Heritage
- Listed as
- National heritage site
About Beijing Ancient Observatory
Built in 1442 on a stretch of the old city wall, the Ancient Observatory was the imperial observatory of the Ming and Qing dynasties. On its 14 m brick platform stand eight large Qing bronze instruments, six of them designed by the Flemish Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest and finished in 1674, while the courtyard below keeps the Ziwei Hall, replicas of Ming instruments and exhibitions on traditional Chinese astronomy.
How to get to Beijing Ancient Observatory
Beside the Jianguomen interchange on the Second Ring Road, next to Jianguomen station on Metro Lines 1 and 2. Closed on Tuesdays (except national public holidays).
Nearby
- National Museum of China 中国国家博物馆 under 10 km
Ancient bronzes, jades and porcelain in a vast museum beside Tian'anmen Square - Tiananmen Square 天安门广场 under 10 km
A vast ceremonial square below Tian'anmen gate, where the national flag is raised at dawn - Temple of Heaven 天坛 under 10 km
Where emperors prayed for harvests, and where Beijing now dances, sings and plays cards - Qianmen Street and Dashilar 前门大街·大栅栏 under 10 km
A pedestrian avenue below Qianmen gate and a lane of shops trading since Qing times - Forbidden City 故宫 under 10 km
Six centuries of imperial power behind vermilion walls in the heart of Beijing
Also within 20 km: Ming City Wall Relics Park 明城墙遗址公园 (under 10 km), Beijing railway station 北京站 (under 10 km), Zhihua Temple 智化寺 (under 10 km), Ritan Park (Altar of the Sun) 日坛 (under 10 km), Asbury Church (Chongwenmen Church) 亚斯立堂 (under 10 km), Beijing Dongyue Temple 东岳庙 (under 10 km).
On the map
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