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Tian'anmen vs Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
Both are endorsed by experts. Overall, Summer Palace ranks significantly better than Tiananmen Gate. Summer Palace is ranked #1 in Beijing with recommendations from 7 reviews like Fodor's, Travel + Leisure and Lonely Planet.
Tian'anmen
Frommer's
Travel + Leisure
Michelin Guide
North of Tian'anmen square, Dongcheng District, Beijing
From $0 /night
Frommer's
"This gate is the largest in what was once known as the Imperial City and the most emblematic of Chinese government grandeur."
Full review
Travel + Leisure
"Chairman Mao himself is said to have surveyed Beijing from atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace and announced he wanted "the sky to be filled with smokestacks"."
Full review
Michelin Guide
2 Stars
"The Tiananmen Gate (or Gate of Heavenly Peace) served as the tribune of the Emperors, and then of Chairman Mao."
Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
Fodor's
Concierge
Travel + Leisure
Michelin Guide
Travel + Leisure
Show All Reviews
19 Xin-jian-gong-men Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100084
From $0 /night
Fodor's
"The greenery provides a welcome relief from the loud, bustling city. It also teaches a fabulous history lesson."
Full review
Concierge
"Once a warm-weather retreat for the Qing dynasty's imperial court, the Summer Palace... is a lovely place to escape the urban smog."
i
Arrive early to avoid crowds, or dodge them with a stroll around the water, as the Qing Empress Dowager Cixi might have done in the 19th century.
Travel + Leisure
"It must have been quite a schlep for emperors of old—who traveled in slow-moving palanquins along with hundreds of courtiers to get to this beautiful, serene lakeside palace."
Full review
Michelin Guide
3 Stars
"This summer palace was restored at great expense at the end of the 19C by the empress Cixi."
i
This enchanting site... should not to be missed.
Travel + Leisure
"Considered a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design, visitors can avoid the crowds by packing a picnic, renting a boat, and exploring some of the lesser-known halls and pavilions."
Full review
