Beijing: a changed city

For most Beijingers, August 2008 represents the culmination of a long journey. Since July 13 2001 – when the International Olympic Committee chose Beijing over Toronto, Istanbul, Osaka and Paris – the city has undergone a comprehensive transformation.

It has been an often rocky road towards the Games, not least thanks to the devastating Sichuan earthquake in May and the repeated disruptions to the Olympic torch relay by pro-Tibet and human rights protestors. But finally the day is approaching, and Beijing is readying itself.

Today’s Beijing is barely recognisable from the city awarded the hosting rights to the 2008 Games.

Several historic grey-brick hutong districts have been razed to make way for glass and chrome plazas. Scores of new hotels, restaurants and bars have sprung up, along with a third airport terminal and extra metro lines.

Furthermore, Beijing – a city that historically preferred statuesque public architecture – has adopted Shanghai’s strategy of building skyward.

Beijing’s personality has also changed. The Communist state has seen to it that everyone from schoolchildren to taxi drivers has been brushing up on their English skills. Restaurant menus, street names and metro signage have been anglicised, and the populace has participated in mass etiquette lessons for queuing at bus stops and even applauding in sporting stadiums. No effort – or expense – is being spared to make Beijing 2008 the ‘People’s Olympics.’

Exploring new Beijing

The city’s radical makeover has tempted some of the world’s leading architects to create showpiece landmarks. The first that visitors encounter is Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital Airport. Opened in March, this dragon-shaped, gold-roofed building was designed by Norman Foster, and is the world’s largest airport terminal.

The new Olympic stadiums are spectacular. Most events will take place at Olympic Green, north of the city, where the centrepiece is the 91,000-seat ‘Bird's Nest' National Stadium, created by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. Adjacent is the luminescent blue ‘Water Cube' Aquatics Centre, by PTW of Australia.

Across Beijing’s vast urban sprawl, a portfolio of strikingly modern architecture has appeared. Most controversial of them all is Paul Andreu's National Theatre for the Performing Arts. Tucked behind the Great Hall of the People, this large domed building has been widely dubbed the ‘Glass Egg.’

Further east is the 330m Tower Three at the China World Centre, Beijing’s tallest building, set to house a Shangri-La hotel. Just behind is the angular experimentalism of OMA’s eye-grabbing CCTV HQ. Comprised of two linked towers that lean inward, it will also feature a hotel by Mandarin Oriental.

Savouring history

Amid the change, however, Beijing retains plenty of historical drama. Most visitors make a beeline to Tiananmen Square. The world’s largest public space features Beijing's signature buildings: the Great Hall of the People on the west side and the National Museum of China on the east.

At the north end is the giant portrait of Chairman Mao. The Great Helmsman’s image marks the entrance to the Forbidden City – Beijing’s magisterial imperial palace. Once off-limits to mere mortals, it is now the capital’s most-visited attraction. Just to the south is Mao's mausoleum.

The imperial legacy is also showcased at the refurbished Summer Palace, a spellbinding lakeside emperors’ retreat set in magnificent gardens. Other historical gems include the Ming Dynasty-era Temple of Heaven, once the largest sacrificial temple in China, and the 47m-high Drum Tower.

Beijing's historical trump card, though, is actually located a two-hour drive to the north. The Great Wall of China meanders across stunning mountain scenery. The two most accessible sections are at Badaling and Mutianyu. Hardy adventurers can arrange to hike unreconstructed sections of the ‘Wild Wall,’ between Jinshanling and Simatai.

Share your tips on where to find the 'real' Beijing

History meets modernity

Nowhere better exemplifies the energy and creativity of modern Beijing than 798 Dashanzi Art District. This vast compound of industrial factories has been converted into the hub of China’s flourishing contemporary arts scene. Scores of galleries and studios showcase a new generation of artists, photographers and sculptors.

Closer to downtown, the Today Art Museum exhibits boundary-pushing Chinese art in a former brewery.

Nanluogu Xiang is a low-rise, grey-brick hutong that has been revamped as a boutique shopping, caf é and dining district. Among the low-slung lane houses and red arched doorways are courtyard caf é s, small bars, artsy stores and galleries. Visit in the early evening to see lanterns illuminating the narrow lanes and alfresco merrymakers gearing up for a long night.

Night-time buzz

The Olympics have also jolted Beijing's nightlife scene into high gear, with smart restaurant, bar and club openings across the city. After-dark hotspots include: Lan restaurant and club, designed by Philippe Starck; China Doll, a lavish new club at Sanlitun; and Song, a hip bar replicating a terraced rice paddy.

To enjoy culinary excellence, book at New York-based Daniel Boulud’s new high-scale eatery Maison Boulud a Pekin in Legation Quarter, an upscale dining and entertainment district near Tiananmen Square. Meanwhile at Blu Oyster Irish-born celebrity chef Brian McKenna dishes up Beijing’s most inventive molecular gastronomy.

For contemporary reworkings of classic Beijing dishes, Jereme Leung’s Whampoa Club has no peer. The hottest fusion spot is People 8, which serves a finely fused blend of Japanese and Chinese cuisine in a dark and moody granite-grey interior.

Practical information

Links:

Search for more information on Beijing

Foreign office travel advice for China

Visit the Chinese National Tourist Office

Booking:

Book a hotel in Beijing

Book a flight to Beijing

Visas:

UK citizens need a visa to visit Beijing. Contact the Chinese Embassy in London.

Currency:

The Chinese currency is the Renminbi Yuan, which equals 10 chiao/jiao or 100 fen.

Can you still get fed and drunk on $5 us?

Sorry Anile, too many human rights issues are still outsdanding in China (conveniently missing from your nice promotionnal report) for me to agree with your overly positive vision of things. As long as the Chinese government doesnt afford political freedom and respect the basic human rights of its citizens (including the people of Tibet) you can count me out.

Not that some western countries are really that much better. But, at least in theory, they give the necessary freedoms & rights to their citizens to have a decent chance at living the life that they want to live.

but not a mention of the thousands displaced, often violently, with little or no compensation!!

According to the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), 1.25 million Chinese citizens have been displaced to make way for Olympic-related construction, and that number is expected to grow to 1.5 million by the time the torch is lit on August 8, 2008. COHRE states that most Chinese citizens are given little or no warning before they are evicted from their homes and are often not compensated for their land. The Chinese government disputes such figures, saying only 6,037 households have been leveled and all their owners have been compensated. According to COHRE, 60,000 homes will be leveled in each of the next two years, bringing the total to 512,100 since the city was awarded the games in 2001.

And as soon as the Olympics are over, it will change back.

Toxic pollution and respiratory disease.

dog, cat, rabbit dishes and other 'goodies' are ordered to be put away during the games.

those dishes will sure come back.

reminds me of when thailand hosted asian games a while back..

why rabbit?? rabbit is blooming tasty!!

In my head i thought Chinese government "The Communist " like a naughty dragon.They're rather lefty and intense.now chaina personality has also changed..today is better... is being spared to make Beijing 2008 the ?People?s Olympics.?..( The Power of Spirit ) What's exciting...let's we see what's happend !.When the Olympics are over, it will change back or not..Maybe Olympics 2008 make Chaina personality are open mind and have a new decent country for living the life....let's we see them

Mazzy Iain D /PeterH61..No prob! differance opinion it doesn't mean we can't share..thank you for sharing.

Anile, I cannot disagree with you stronger. I have been traveling in and out of beijing the last three months and i expect MAJOR problems! We waited and hour and 5 minutes in front of the terminal building sitting in the planed. We could not leave the plane because there were no stair units!!!

After that i witnessed how thousand of passengers had to squeeze through ONE exit. The process was slowed down further by each passenger having to hand it the luggage tag to an officer. Yes you read correct the officer not officers!

I stay at a good hotel and have stopped eating at the hotel after a rather sickening experience. The hotel presented a "special barbeque". Only problem was that my palte of food was place on the table behind the chef who kept on Spitting into the dustbin. this was outside and with the wind blowing a fair bit ended on my plate no doubt! I complained to the manager and was given the exciuse that the chef "did not feel well and that is why he spat!!!!!" This is an INTERNATIONAL BRAND HOTEL.

Lastly their service ethic is non existing. Shanghai is about 100% better when it comes to service, and even then people complain quite a bit about the service.

the latest is that all the problems are conveniently blamed on the earthquake!

my advice is to steer clear for some time.

Loburt..Just give a Chinese government a chance...( Maybe you were right ! lol )

Well, anile, I'm not quite with some of the others on China's human rights record. It's bad, but has been improving somewhat, unlike Zimbabwe and Myanmar. Unfortunately, China's government supports the criminals who run Zimbabwe and Myanmar (Burma), so they bear some responsibility for those human rights abuses too.

Also, I find it sad the Games will open on the 20th anniversary of the uprising for democracy in Burma that was crushed by the military at the cost of thousands of innocent lives. People won't remember this, or pay attention to it, because of the "celebrations" in Beijing.

On pollution and the enivornment, maybe you're right. I'll wait and see what the Chinese government does. But I have little doubt they will place fast-as-possible economic growth over the environment and health of their citizens and go back to the old ways. They are not alone in that attitude.

Maybe I'm wrong. Let's wait and see.