Why Ming Tombs is special ?

The Ming Tombs, located in Changping District, about 50 kilometers from the northwest of Beijing, are surrounded by mountains on three sides. The imperial cemetery covers an area of 120 square kilometers and there are 13 Ming Dynasty emperors buried there (along with 23 empresses and a number of concubines, princes and princesses), thus it is also called The 13 Mausoleums. These tombs are the best preserved Chinese imperial tombs and have been nominated by UNESCO as world cultural heritage. At present, there are only the Sacred Way, Changling Tomb, Zhaoling Tomb and Dingling Tomb which are open to the public.

What to explore at Ming Tombs?

Sacred Way

The Sacred Way, also known as Changling Sacred Way, is the approach to the Changling Tomb. Along the Way from south to north, you will see a number of sites (or sights) of interest and beauty, including the Stone Tablet Archway, Great Red Gate, Tablet Pavilion, Ornamental Columns, Stone Figures, Lingxin Gate.

Changling Tomb

Walking along the Sacred Way to the end, you can see the Changling Tomb (built in 1409), where lie the third Emperor of Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Di and his Empress Xu. It is the largest, original and the best preserved among the thirteen tombs, and has three courtyards in the front and a Treasure City in the round rear part. The magnificent Grace and Blessing Palace (Ling'en Palace) in the second courtyard is highly recommended.

Dingling Tomb

Built from 1584 to 1590, it is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun, the thirteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty and his two empresses. The highlight part is the stone Underground Palace, which was discovered between 1956 and 1958, and had a great deal of precious relics unearthed.

Zhaoling Tomb

Located in eastern foot of Dayu Mountain, Zhaoling is where the 12th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Zaihou and his three empresses were buried. It features the special Dumb Yard in a crescent shape housing the imperial coffins.

Source: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/

How to get to Ming Tombs?

1. Special tourist Bus 872 (formerly 925) runs directly from Desheng Gate to Dingling and Changling every 30 minutes in peak hours from 07:10-19:10.

2. Take bus no. 919 branch line 1, 345 branch line or 881 at Desheng Gate West Station, get off at Changping Dongguan Crossing Station, and then take bus no. 314 to the Sacred Way (Nanxin Village Station), Dingling and Changling.

3. Take Changping Bus no. 22 to Changling, Dingling and Zhaoling at Li Shui Qiao Station; or take bus no. 345 branch line or 881 at Desheng Gate West Station, get off at Sha He Station, and then transfer to Changping Bus no. 22.

Subway: Take subway line 5 to Tiantongyuan Bei Station, and shift to Changping Bus no. 22.

Source: http://www.travelchinaguide.comattraction/