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Famous Places In China

A whole panoply of attractions span the entirety of this enormous, ancient and diverse nation. China is packed with monuments and artifacts that predate those in most of Europe, Australia and the USA. Despite political upheavals like the Cultural Revolution, such iconic structures as the Great Wall and Potala Palace remain.

More than 2,000 years old, the Great Wall is the best-known and most awe-inspiring sight. It stretches 6,400 km (4,000 miles) across large parts of the country, with its most popular section in Badaling County, Beijing, amidst a beautiful mountain range. It is a myth that the Wall can be seen from the moon, as no astronaut has ever reported this as being possible.

One of the other more famous places in China is the Forbidden City in Beijing, an assemblage of grand palaces where 24 emperors previously lived. The casual visitor would need days if not weeks to visit every room in the Forbidden City, so best to concentrate on the throne room of the magnificent Hall of Supreme Harmony and the 120,000 square meter Imperial Garden. Another favorite attraction is the Summer Palace.

Shanghai's Bund is a chic, art deco district that was once home to the concessions of the European imperial powers. To its east is the Huangpu River and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, while on its main drag are the Huifeng Bank and the Shanghai Customs House. JG Ballard immortalized the city in his novel 'Empire of the Sun'.

One of the more bizarre yet also one of the most famous places in China is the Museum of Emperor Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Warriors & Horses. As the name suggests, this is a tomb containing hundreds of ceramic models dating back to 210 BC.

For sheer aesthetic beauty alone, Potala Palace is unrivaled anywhere in the world. This 1,000-room complex in Lhasa, Tibet, was originally the home of the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama, currently exiled by the Chinese occupying forces. The palace's architecture merges wonderfully with the natural features of the Red Mountain, which it is built into.

On the Yungui Plateau, the Dian Chi Lake is another of the more famous places in China. Rising almost 2,000 meters in altitude, the lake can sometimes appear to be joining with the sky above it, a curiously wondrous effect that many visitors have commented upon. At dawn and dusk, the sunlight refracts the sunlight in such a way that it emblems many silver fishes. Arguably the best view of the Dian Chi Lake is from the West Mountain.

3 of Yellow Mountain's 72 peaks are all above 1,800 meters tall. Its four most appealing spots are the Pine Forest, the Strange Stone, the Cloud Sea and the Hot Spring. It is located in the bucolic Anhui Province.

These are just some of the many famous places in China, with many more located around this unique country.  

About the Author

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about famous places in china, please visit China and Tourism for current articles and discussions.