Ten Great Buildings - The Buildings

The Buildings

The ten buildings are:

• The Great Hall of the People - Located on the western edge of Tiananmen Square, the Great Hall of the People houses China's top legislative body, the National People's Congress, and is also used for other ceremonial activities.
• The National Museum of China - Originally known as the China Revolutionary History Museum, this building is located on the eastern edge of Tiananmen Square.
• The Cultural Palace of Nationalities - Located on the north side of West Chang'an Avenue, the Nationalities Cultural Palace is a medium rise building incorporating traditional Chinese design elements. It has won a number of awards as an example of modern Chinese-style design.
• The Beijing Railway Station - Designed by architects Yang Tingbao and Chen Deng'ao, Beijing Railway Station was the largest modern passenger rail terminal in China at the time of construction. Since its construction, it has served as the terminal of a number of domestic and international services, including services to Moscow, Ulan Bator, and Pyongyang. It replaced the old Beijing Railway Station at Qianmen, near Tiananmen Square, which had been built in 1901.
• The Workers Stadium - The multi-purpose stadium was last renovated in 2004 and now has a capacity of 66,161. It hosted the first National Games of the People's Republic of China.
• The National Agriculture Exhibition Hall - Premier Zhou Enlai oversaw the planning of this building. It was first used in 1959 to house the Tenth Anniversary National Agricultural Achievements Exhibition.
• The Diaoyutai State Guesthouse - The hotel and guesthouse complex is built on the site of an 800-year-old garden dating back to the Jin Dynasty. The building incorporates design elements of traditional Chinese garden architecture. Formerly reserved for visiting dignitaries and Party officials (most famously Jiang Qing, Madame Mao), the guesthouse is now open to the public
• The Minzu Hotel - The Minzu Hotel is located on West Chang'an Avenue. It has hosted numerous foreign delegations, and is often used for press conferences.
• The Overseas Chinese Hotel - The original Overseas Chinese Hotel was demolished in the 1990s. A new building on the same site is now part of the Prime Hotel chain.
• The Chinese People's Revolutionary Military Museum - Located on Fuxing Road in Beijing, this is the only large, comprehensive war museum in China. Displays focus on wars of the twentieth century, especially the Chinese Civil War, but also cover other ancient and modern warfare and weapons. The main building is seven storeys high at the centre, and is topped by a central steeple. Two four-storey side wings extend on either side.