Tiananmen Square is the large plaza near the center of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen (literally, the Gate of Heavenly Peace) which sits to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. The square covers 40.5 hectares, which makes it the largest open-urban square in the world. Used as a massive gathering place since its inception, its flatness is broken only by the 38-meter (125 ft) high Monument to the People’s Heroes completed in 1958, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong completed in 1977. The square lies between two ancient, massive gates: the Tiananmen to the north and the Zhengyangmen, better known as Qianmen to the south. Along the west side of the Square is the Great Hall of the People. Along the east side is the National Museum of China.

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in Beijing and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, and the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government. Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings with and covers 720,000 square meters. The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture, and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

The Asia Hotel, located in the prosperous CBD area on the East Second Ring Road, is close to the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Workers’ Stadium and many foreign embassies. It is a 20 minutes drive to the Capital Airport and close to the subway station.

The Shangri-La Hotel is a landmark in the western part of the city, close to the financial district, Summer Palace, the State Guesthouse, the Beijing Exhibition Hall, and the Beijing Zoo. The hotel is 35 kilometers from the Beijing Capital Airport.