Historical Places in China

Exploring historical places in China is like stepping back in time. Ancient monuments, heritage buildings and cultural landmarks reveal the city’s fascinating journey through the centuries. MakeMyTrip offers 8089 historical attractions in China for 2025, perfect for travellers who enjoy history, culture and architecture.

Dynasties in Stone: Exploring the Historical Places in China

China is a country where time does not hide. Palaces still echo with court rituals, desert caves glow with ancient murals, and fortress walls climb mountains as if they belong there. When you set out to see the historical places in China, you are stepping into a story that spans emperors, monks, merchants, and inventors. Some sites feel grand and ceremonial, others quiet and reflective, but each one shows you how culture, faith, and power shaped everyday life.

Imperial capitals sit beside modern skylines, while Silk Road oases keep their scholarly calm. You can cross a city on a bicycle in the morning and read a thousand-year-old inscription in the afternoon. These are not just famous historical places in China to tick off a list. They are places to linger and to notice the details as you move through the historical places to visit in China.

Below is a curated route through the historical places in China, grouped by theme so you can follow your interests, whether you love palaces and gardens or caves and monasteries. Along the way, leave room for simple activities that bring the past closer, like tasting regional snacks at old markets or joining a short calligraphy lesson in a courtyard.

Historical Places in China

Imperial Capitals and Sacred Rituals

The Forbidden City, Beijing

Walk through the Meridian Gate and the city noise softens. Red walls stretch into courtyards, yellow-glazed rooftops gleam, and carved stone balustrades guide you from one ceremonial space to the next and the scale is impressive, but it is the small touches that stay with you, like door studs polished by centuries of hands or a dragon’s tail curling along a roof. Few historical places in China feel as complete as this.

Historical Background: Built between 1406 and 1420 for the Ming emperors, the palace complex later hosted the Qing court. It served as the political centre of China for nearly 500 years.

Key Highlights: Hall of Supreme Harmony, Imperial Garden, Nine Dragon Screen, bronze guardian lions.

• Timing: 8:30 am to 5 pm, shorter in winter.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 700 to INR 1,000 per person.
• Location: Dongcheng District, Beijing.

Summer Palace, Beijing

Lakes, pavilions, and willow trees make the Summer Palace feel like a painting you can walk into. Boats slide across Kunming Lake while the Long Corridor, painted with scenes from legends, pulls you along in shade. The walk up Longevity Hill rewards you with broad views and a sense of calm that sits gently above the city. If you love landscaped retreats, this is one of the historical places in China you will remember.

Historical Background: First developed in the 18th century during the Qing dynasty, the complex became the imperial family’s summer retreat.

Key Highlights: Long Corridor, Marble Boat, Tower of Buddhist Incense, Seventeen-Arch Bridge.

• Timing: 6:30 am to 6 pm for the grounds, main halls from 8:30 am.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 500 to INR 900 per person depending on combined areas.
• Location: Haidian District, Beijing.

Temple of Heaven, Beijing

This is where ceremony met the sky. The circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, built of wood without nails, sits perfectly on its marble terrace. Early mornings are the best, when locals practise tai chi and traditional instruments carry across the park. Among the historical places in China, it shows ritual at its most elegant.

Historical Background: Constructed in the early 15th century, the complex was used by emperors to pray for good harvests and to offer seasonal rites.

Key Highlights: Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Circular Mound Altar, Echo Wall, cypress-lined avenues.

• Timing: Park from early morning; main halls usually 8 am to 5 pm.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 200 to INR 400 per person depending on areas.
• Location: Dongcheng District, Beijing.

Walls, Warriors, and Ancient Engineering

Great Wall of China, Mutianyu or Badaling

Stone steps rise and fall along ridgelines, guard towers watch distant valleys, and the wind moves quietly through the battlements. Walk a section and you feel the labour and planning behind it, a defence that became a symbol. The views are wide in every season, from winter frost to spring blossoms. It is one of the defining historical places in China for a reason.

Historical Background: Built and rebuilt from the 7th century BC onwards, with major Ming dynasty expansions after the 14th century to defend the northern frontiers.

Key Highlights: Restored watchtowers, long ramparts, cable car options at some sections, mountain scenery.

• Timing: Typically 8 am to 5 or 6 pm, seasonal variations.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 600 to INR 1,000 per person depending on section and transport.
• Location: North of Beijing, various access points.

Terracotta Army, Xi’an

Row after row of life-sized warriors stand in silence, each face distinct and horses, archers, and officers fill vast pits that look like a frozen parade. The scale is astonishing, but the individuality of the figures is what feels human. As a window into empire, few historical places in China are as vivid.

Historical Background: Created around 210 BC to guard Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife, the army was buried near his mausoleum and rediscovered in 1974.

Key Highlights: Three main excavation pits, bronze chariots, on-site museum with artefacts and reconstructions.

• Timing: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 1,200 to INR 1,600 per person.
• Location: Lintong District, Xi’an, Shaanxi.

Xi’an City Wall

A complete rectangle of brick and stone encircles the old city. Rent a bicycle or stroll the ramparts to see roofs, bell towers, and markets from above. Lanterns glow at dusk and the pace slows to something older and more measured. It is practical, beautiful, and firmly one of the historical places in China that brings daily life and history together.

Historical Background: Built in the 14th century during the early Ming dynasty on earlier foundations, the wall protected the capital of Shaanxi.

Key Highlights: South Gate and watchtowers, rental bikes on the wall, views across the city grid.

• Timing: Usually 8 am to evening, extended hours in peak seasons.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 500 to INR 700 per person.
• Location: Central Xi’an, Shaanxi.

Sacred Mountains, Monasteries, and Martial Traditions

Mount Emei and Golden Summit, Sichuan

Evergreen forests cover the slopes, cloud seas drift between peaks, and temples perch on cliffs with bells that carry on the wind. The climb can be gentle or ambitious, with cable cars to help, but the atmosphere is serene either way. Sunrise at Golden Summit, with statues glowing in early light, is a moment you do not rush. Nature and devotion share the stage at this historical place in China.

Historical Background: A sacred Buddhist mountain since the 1st century, Emei developed as a major pilgrimage site lined with monasteries.

Key Highlights: The Golden Summit statue complex, cliff paths, ancient temples, frequent cloud inversions, sunrise views.

• Timing: 7 am to late afternoon for main checkpoints; cable cars are on schedule.
• Ticket and Price: It is around INR 1,800 to INR 2,200 per person for park entry, cable cars extra.
• Location: Leshan Prefecture, Sichuan.

Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan

Carved into a riverside cliff, the seated Buddha looks across the confluence where boats glide past below. Walk the steps along the cliff to feel the scale up close, then view from the river for the full scene. The setting combines engineering with landscape in a quiet, confident way that lingers after you leave.

Historical Background: Begun in 713 AD during the Tang dynasty by a monk named Hai Tong to calm dangerous river currents.

Key Highlights: 71-metre statue, cliff walkways, riverside viewpoints, boat perspectives.

• Timing: 8 am to 5:30 pm.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 900 to INR 1,200 per person; boat rides additional.
• Location: Leshan, Sichuan.

Shaolin Temple, Henan

Courtyards shaded by pines lead to halls where monks train and pray. The Pagoda Forest holds stone stupas with elegant carvings, and you can sense the weight of discipline in the air. Whether you come for meditation or martial arts history, it is a place that stays with you and among the historical places in China, it is a symbol of the link between mind and body.

Historical Background: Founded in the late 5th century, Shaolin became a centre for Chan Buddhism and later renowned for martial arts traditions.

Key Highlights: Main temple halls, Pagoda Forest, performance areas and training courtyards.

• Timing: 8 am to 5:30 pm.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 1,000 to INR 1,300 per person.
• Location: Dengfeng, Henan.

Silk Road Caves and Stone Carvings

Mogao Caves, Dunhuang

Desert cliffs hide a treasure of painted chapels. Step through a wooden door and walls burst with colour, showing travellers, deities, musicians, and everyday scenes across centuries. Guided entries rotate a handful of caves at a time, which makes each visit feel special and intimate. For Buddhist art, this is one of the essential historical places in China.

Historical Background: Founded in the 4th century, Mogao flourished as a centre of Buddhist art and learning along the Silk Road from the 6th to 14th centuries.

Key Highlights: Mogao Caves has painted murals, giant Buddhas, wooden facades on the cliff, and manuscripts and conservation exhibits.

• Timing: Typically 9 am to 5 or 6 pm with timed entries.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 2,500 to INR 3,500 per person.
• Location: Southeast of Dunhuang, Gansu.

Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang

Thousands of statues line the limestone cliff, from small serene Buddhas to towering guardians. Light and shadow change the faces through the day, so it is worth taking your time. The river below and the walkways above make it easy to see the carvings from different angles.

Historical Background: Carving began in the late 5th century during the Northern Wei and continued through the Tang dynasty.

Key Highlights: Fengxian Temple with colossal Vairocana, Ten Thousand Buddha Cave, riverside paths and bridges.

• Timing: 8 am to 6 pm, seasonal changes.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 1,100 to INR 1,400 per person.
• Location: Luoyang, Henan.

• Yungang Grottoes, Datong

  Rock-cut caves stretch along a sandstone cliff, their statues weathered yet expressive. The figures show Central Asian influences mixed with Chinese style, a reminder that cultures met and mingled here. It feels both monumental and human at once.

  Historical Background: Carved mainly in the 5th and 6th centuries under the Northern Wei dynasty after the capital moved to Datong.

  Key Highlights: Cave 5’s massive seated Buddha, painted ceilings, wooden temple facades protecting cave entrances.

  • Timing: 8:30 am to 5 pm.
  • Ticket and Price: Around INR 900 to INR 1,200 per person.
  • Location: Datong, Shanxi.

Classical Gardens, Ancient Streets, and Water Towns

Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou

Pavilions frame ponds dotted with lilies, zigzag bridges lead to quiet corners, and rockeries create mountains in miniature. You wander rather than rush, spotting calligraphy tablets and carefully placed windows that capture views like paintings. If you want harmony and detail, this is one of the most graceful historical places in China.

Historical Background: Laid out in the early 16th century during the Ming dynasty, the garden reflects literati ideals of balance between humans and nature.

Key Highlights: Lotus ponds, winding corridors, scholar studios, seasonal flowers.

• Timing: 7:30 am to 5 or 5:30 pm, longer in peak season.
• Ticket and Price: Around INR 700 to INR 900 per person.
• Location: Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Pingyao Ancient City, Shanxi

Grey brick lanes, courtyard houses, and drum towers keep the rhythm of an old merchant town. Shops sell lacquerware and vinegar, and lanterns glow gently at night along the wall. The pace is unhurried, which helps you notice door carvings, roof charms, and old bank halls. It is easily among the historical places in China where everyday life speaks loudly.

Historical Background: A major financial centre during the Qing dynasty, Pingyao preserved its complete city wall and street grid.

Key Highlights: City Wall walks, Rishengchang Draft Bank museum, Confucian and City God temples.

• Timing: Streets open all day; sites typically 8 am to 5:30 pm.
• Ticket and Price: Combined site ticket around INR 1,400 to INR 1,700 per person.
• Location: Pingyao County, Shanxi.

West Lake, Hangzhou

Causeways slice gently through the water, tea fields rise in the hills beyond, and pavilions sit just where the view needs them. Poets and painters loved this lake for a reason. A loop on foot or by bike gives you ever-changing scenes that feel balanced and calm. As landscape culture, it ranks with the classic historical places in China.

Historical Background: Celebrated since the 9th century, West Lake’s banks and islands were shaped over time with causeways, gardens, and temples.

Key Highlights: Broken Bridge views, Leifeng Pagoda skyline, Su Causeway walks, boat rides.

• Timing: Open all day; paid garden areas keep standard hours.
• Ticket and Price: Lakefront is free; selected sites around INR 200 to INR 500 per person.
• Location: Hangzhou, Zhejiang.

Tips for Exploring Historical Sites in China

• When to plan your trip: Spring and autumn give you the most comfortable weather for the historical places in China, with flowers in gardens and clear views on walls and mountains. Summer can be hot in cities and humid in the south, while winter is crisp and quieter at northern sites.
• How to explore without rushing: Choose one area per day rather than cramming several. At large complexes like the Forbidden City or Mogao, consider official guides or audio options for context, then spend time on your own to follow what interests you most. Both approaches work well across the historical places to visit in China.
• Respect at temples and mausoleums: Dress modestly for religious spaces, keep voices low, and follow staff instructions. Do not touch murals or carvings at caves and grottoes, and avoid leaning on railings around altars or stelae.
• Photo rules that save time: Outdoor areas usually allow photography, but many interiors restrict flash or tripods. Check signs at cave temples and palace halls. Being ready with settings beforehand helps you enjoy the moment rather than fiddling on the spot.
• Eat where history lives: Markets and old streets make great stops between sites. Try Shaanxi noodles after the Terracotta Army, Suzhou sweets near the gardens, or Sichuan snacks in Leshan after seeing the Buddha. Simple food activities like tasting regional tea or a quick dumpling stop often become favourite memories.