Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
south of the Ancient Observatory, dates back to the Ming dynasty. Clamber up the steps
for views alongside camera-wielding Chinese trainspotters eagerly awaiting rolling stock
grinding in and out of Běijīng Train Station. As you mount the battlements, two forlorn
stumps of flag abutments and a cannon or two can be seen, but really worth hunting out
are the
signatures
etched in the walls by allied forces during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion (
CLICK HERE
). You can make out the name of a certain P Foot; 'USA' is also scrawled on the
brickwork. The international composition of the eight-nation force that relieved Běijīng in
1900 is noted in names such as André, Stickel and what appears to be a name in Cyrillic.
One brick records the date 'Dec 16 1900'. Allied forces overwhelmed the redoubt after a
lengthy engagement. Note the drainage channels poking out of the wall along its length.
You can reach the watchtower from the west through the
Railway Arch
, which was built
for the first railway that ran around Běijīng.
The watchtower is punctured with 144 archers' windows, and attached to it is a 100m
section of the original Inner City Wall, beyond which stretches the restored
Ming City
Wall
, extending all the way to Chōngwénmén and north to Beijingzhan Dongjie. Inside
the highly impressive interior is some staggering carpentry: huge red pillars that are
topped with solid beams surge upwards. The 1st floor is the site of the
Red Gate Gallery
Běijīng's long-established modern art galleries; the 2nd-floor gallery has a fascinating
photographic exhibition on the old gates of Běijīng, while the 3rd-floor gallery contains
more paintings. Say you're visiting the Red Gate Gallery and the ¥10 entry fee to the
watchtower will be waived.
BĚIJĪNG RAILWAY MUSEUM
|MUSEUM
( Běijīng Tiělù Bówùguǎn;
6705 1638; 2a Qianmen Dongdajie, 2a admission ¥20;
9am-5pm Tue-Sun;
Qi-
anmen)
Located in the historic former Qiánmén Railway Station, which once connected
Běijīng to Tiānjīn, this museum offers an engaging history of the development of the cap-
ital and China's railway system, with plenty of photos and models. Its size, though, means
it doesn't have many actual trains. But there is a life-size model of the cab of one of Ch-
ina's new high-speed trains which you can clamber into (¥10). Hard-core trainspotters
should make tracks for the
China Railway Museum
on the far northeastern outskirts of
Běijīng, which is vast and has far more loco action.
BĚIJĪNG PLANNING EXHIBITION HALL
|MUSEUM
( Běijīngshì Guīhuà Zhǎnlǎnguǎn; 6701 7074; 20 Qianmen Dongdajie; admission ¥30; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun;
Qianmen)
It doesn't see much foot traffic, but a lot of thought has gone into making this
modern museum a visitor-friendly experience. True, it strains every sinew to present
