Qianmen, a must-go walking tour in Beijing

Lying on Beijing's historical central axis just south of Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City, the newly renovated Qianmen Street is fast becoming one of the most popular sites for a walking tour in the Chinese capital.

The 840-meter Qianmen Street and its nearby alleys were extremely crowded on the night of August 9, the day after its official reopening to welcome Olympic visitors. [China. org.cn]

The 840-meter street and its nearby alleys were extremely crowded when I went there on the night of August 9, the day after its official reopening to welcome Olympic visitors. The re-erected sculptural archway at the entrance, just south of the gigantic military fortress of Zhengyangmen, offers itself as the pedestrian street's landmark and heralds its traditional flavor.

An old-fashioned tramway dating to 1924 has also been restored, after being decommissioned in the 1960s, adding a sense of modernism to the ancient shopping street. But the tram won't be operational until September 20, since the Olympic and Paralympics marathon runners were and are to pass along the street.

Qianmen Street began to develop about 570 years ago. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) the street was dotted with guild halls built by different localities, to provide housing to citizens intending to take the imperial exams or do official business with the Imperial Court, just north of the Zhengyangmen Tower.

It became even more prosperous during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) with the development of activities such as lantern fairs – many opera halls, teahouses and even a red-light district appeared. Places like the Guanghe Theater and the Quanjude roast duck restaurant are part of Beijing's history .

The gigantic military fortress of Zhengyangmen, just south of the Tian'anmen Square offers itself as the landmark to the Qianmen Street in the south. [China.org.cn]

Qianmen Street reached its peak in the 1920s and 30s. The renovation effort was mainly directed to restoring its character of this period, a time from which many historical photos survive.

At its northern end, dozens of old buildings were recreated, along with many old name-brand shops of cultural and historic significance. First to catch the visitor's eye is the Dabei Photo Studio (大北照相館) on the left, then comes Yue Sheng Zhai (月勝齋), a Muslim food store on the right. Further south visitors can see the Quanjude, the Roast Duck restaurant serving the famous Peking Duck, a must for any tourist.

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