Ritan Park is located near CBD in Beijing. First built in 1530, Ritan is also called Temple of Sun or Altar to the Sun, which was originally as a place for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to hold ceremonies to worship the god of sun.

There are totally five alters in Beijing. There are Temple of Heaven (Tiantan), Temple of Earth (Ditan), Temple of Moon (Yuetan), Temple of Sun (Ritan), and Temple of Agriculture (Xiannongtan). The altar inRitan Parkwas a white platform with red glaze on its top representing the sun. In 1951, the government expanded the area surrounding the altar into a public park.

The park is a good place to mingle with the locals. It has got something for everyone: ancient architecture for the adults, a climbing wall and mini-golf course for teens, a bouncy castle and train ride for kids and free daily Tai Chi lessons starting at 6:30 a.m. for martial arts enthusiasts. It also supplies the tourists with boutique restaurants.

Variety kinds of flowers and ancient trees flourish along with fountains, lakes, rockeries and pavilions. The quiet scenes always display a sense of vitality and tourists are easily blended in.

With an area of 0.2 billion square meters, Ritan Park is covered with 85% of green land, serving as the “lungs” of CBD. The park contributes to the fresh air in Beijing and becomes an oasis in the fast-developing city.

Travel tips:

Location: 6 Ritan North Road, Chaoyang District

Opening hours: Daily; summer: 6:00-22:00; winter: 6:00-21:00

How to get there: Take Subway Line 1 and get off at Yonganli or Jianguomen Station. Walk along Jianguomenwai Avenue and turn to Ritan Road to the south. Walk 500 meters and the site is on the right to the crossing of Ritan Road and Guanhua Road.

Source: CITS