Beijing, China's sprawling capital has a history dating back three millennia. While it is most visited for its reknowned grand ancient sights, it is increasingly known for its modern architecture and dynamic energy.
 

Covering an area of 16,400 square kilometers (km), Beijing has under its jurisdiction 16 districts and two counties. It is the second largest city in China with a population of more than 14 million.
 

Since the 1990s Beijing has experienced a building boom, constructing over 1400 skyscrapers and developing a road system of 10 arterial  ring roads.

Tiananmen Square is a massive city square in the center of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City.
 

On one side  of Tiananmen Square is  National Museum of China. The Great Hall of the People lies on the west side.  In the centre of the square are the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong and the Monument to the People's heroes.

At the physical and metaphorical center of Beijing is the Forbidden City, the vast palace complex of former emperors for 500 years. Tiananmen, the Gate of Heavenly Peace displays the design features of symbolic and philosophical importance.

The Imperial Palace complex consists of 980 buildings. 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 Temple of Heaven is a complex of religious buildings situated in southeast Beijing recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of architectural and landscape design. It was built in 1420 for sacrifices to heaven.
 

The Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens, palaces, temples and bridges which was the Imperial Garden in the Qing Dynasty.

Within the Temple of Heaven complex there are a total of 92 ancient buildings with 600 rooms. The most significant is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest.

The long corridor leads from the Gate for Greeting the Moon  westwards along the northern shore of  Kunming Lake. It is richly decorated with 1400 paintings.
 

Our visit was just prior to Beijing hosting the Olympics. The magnificent buildings such as the CCTV Headquarters, the National Stadium, the Aquatics Center and the National Center for Performing Arts were under construction at that time.
 

The iconic Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built along the historical northern border of China.
 

Peking Duck is a specialty that has been prepared since the Imperial era. Chefs master precise methods of preparation.
 

 We were often mystified and amused by the English translations of Chinese messages.