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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- Asia
- China
- Beijing
- The Underground City
The Underground City
For more than 20 years, Beijing's Underground City, a bomb
shelter just beneath the ancient capital's downtown area built in
case of nuclear attack, has been virtually forgotten by Beijing
locals, despite being infamous amongst foreigners since its
official opening in 2000. A sign near the entrance announces this
rarely visited attraction a 'human fairyland and underground
paradise'. Aside from some rather odd recent additions, the
Underground City features factories, stores, guesthouses,
restaurants, hospitals, schools, theatres, reading-rooms, a
roller-skating rink and many other curious features. Built from
1969 to 1979 by more than 300,000 local citizens including school
children, The tunnels were initially built to accommodate all of
Beijing's six million inhabitants upon completion. Winding for over
18 miles (30km) and covering an area of 85 square kilometers from
eight to eighteen meters under the surface, the underground City
includes more than 1,000 anti-air raid structures.
Information & Facts
Address
Admission
Language
The official language is Mandarin Chinese, but there are
hundreds of local dialects.
Money
The currency used in China is the Renminbi Yuan (CNY). The Yuan
is divided into 10 chiao/jiao or 100 fen. Make sure you exchange
your leftover Yuan before returning home because this currency can
be exchanged only within China's borders. Travellers cheques,
preferably in US Dollars, and foreign cash can be exchanged in
cities at the Bank of China. Banks are closed weekends. The larger
hotels and the special 'Friendship Stores' designed for foreigners
will accept most western currencies for purchases. Major credit
cards are accepted in the main cities at various establishments,
but outside the major cities acceptance is limited. ATMs are scarce
outside the main cities.
Opening Times
Open daily from 8:30am to 5pm
Time