Beijing is the capital of China, the country with the largest population in the world, and the second largest city, after Shanghai. The capital is also known as Peking and today it represents an important transportation hub and the cultural, political and educational center of China.
In Chinese, Beijing means "capital in the north". The city's foundation can be traced to more than 3000 years ago. Between 1272 and 1911, the city was the capital of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties and since 1949, when People's Republic of China was established, Beijing has been China's capital.
The city is also famous for its ancient architectural style, for its mansions, towers and temples, royal gardens and many other places of interest. For example, The Great Wall is unique in the world for its man-made dimensions, it is in fact the only architectural structure that can be spotted from space. It is also one of the world's wonders and a great tourist attraction in China. Another sight for you to visit and a great place to spend a few fun days with the family is the Willy Wonka - style chocolate theme park, a real chocolate wonderland which opens on the 29th January 2010 in Olympic Green, near the Bird's Nest, where the Beijing Olympics took place in 2008.