v) Beijing Olympic Park - Legacy of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
Beijing Olympic Park, also called Olympic Green, is a spacious park built for the 29th Olympic Games, held in China for the very first time in 2008. Located at the north end of the central axis of Beijing, it contains
10 Olympic venues, and 7 non-competitive venues, some of which have become landmarks of Beijing and representative works in architectural history such as the
Bird's Nest and
Water Cube. In addition, there is a
largest forest park in Beijing in the north of Olympic Green which brings much convenience for people to take an outing.
Post-Olympics the Olympic Green has become a center of cultural, recreational, and sporting activities in Beijing. Thousands of people, both Chinese and foreigners, have taken the chance to visit the grand site and flocked to see the sports venues as well as watch a number of special exhibitions and performances. It is expected that the site will continue to attract many visitors and will also serve as an excellent place for China to host more intra-country sporting events in the future.
Address:
#15 Beichen East Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Admission Fee:
Free (not including entrance fee of stadiums)
Operating Hours:
6:30 - 22:00 (May - October); 7:30 - 21:30 (November - April)
Direction:
Take
Subway Line 8 or
Line 15 and get off at
Olympic Green Station.
We glad that we changed our plan to visit here after Niujie Street as by the time we reached here, it’s already dark at 7pm. For me it is better to visit this place at evening time (after 5 pm during winter time) as you can experience the stadium and ice cube while it is illuminated. You can also take photography when the building is lit up with different colors. Very impressive!
If you enjoy architecture this is a good place to visit. You do not have to spend too much time here as there are not much else to do but it is worth a short visit.
Continued from my last post, after having dinner at Muslim Restaurant near Niujie Mosque, we walked back to the Chaishikou Station. Then we took subway as per below route:
Chaishikou Station (Line 4) ==> Xizhimen (Exchange Line 2) ==> Guloudajie (Exchange Line 8) ==> Olympic Park/Green (Line 8)
The subway station.
Arrived and went out from the station there were few shops which resembled the traditional old chinese house.
We need to take the escalator to the Park.
Beijing Olympic Park Layout consists of 3 Sections:
i) The Central Section
ii) The Northern Section - Olympic Forest Park
iii) The Southern Section - the Olympic Sports Center Stadium
Map of the Olympic Park.
1) The Central Section
As the primary section, the central section contains many venues in the south including Beijing National Stadium (The Bird’s Nest), the Beijing National Aquatics Center (the Water Cube), Beijing National Indoor Stadium, Linglong Tower and the Beijing Olympic Village in the southwest.
The escalator from the Subway station took us straight here, to the Central Section.
Ascending from the escalator, we've been welcomed by this colourfull tower.
Can you see it changing colour! So amazing!!
Beautifull lights and thats reminded me of the movie, AVATAR.
Actually, we were not yet "reached" the Olympic Park. We needed to cross the road to enter the gate of The Olympic Park.
Hang on there, we're about to see you, lights!!
So here, infront of the entrance of the Olympic Park. Yeayy!!
Linglong Tower
The highest building in the Olympic Green – Linglong Tower, can be found in the area with a height of 132 meters (433 feet). It functioned as the International Broadcasting Corporation during the games. When night falls, it looks extremely charming with colored lights changing alternatively.
Getting closer with the amazing tower.
Closer enough.
Adoi, banyaknya photobombs!!
Ok, finally aman skit takde entiti asing :P
Ok time to read.
Met the 2 Mascots, Beibei and Huanhuan.
With another 3 mascots, Jingjing, Yingying and Nini. Together, they form the “Fuwa”, which translates as “good-luck dolls”.
Stalls selling foods and souvenirs were everywhere.
Ok we moved to next attraction just next with this tower. Infact you could see a glimpse of it from the below photo right?....
Bird’s Nest - Beijing National Stadium
Ticket: RMB 50
Opening Hours: 9:00am – 7:00pm (Apr - Oct); 9.00am – 5:30pm (Nov - Mar)
Beijing National Stadium, the main stadium of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, is in the south of the central area of Beijing Olympic Park. It is more known to the public as Bird’s Nest because of its general outline. In 2008, the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, track and field competitions, and football finals were held here. The external structure of the Bird's Nest is mainly composed of huge portal steel frames. They support each other and form a grid-like outline, which looks like a bird's nest made of branches. In Chinese culture, nest represents the cradle of life which holds the hope of human future. In 2022, the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games will also be held here.
Its unique steel structure and shape make it "one of the key engineering marvels in the world today".
I can't stop admiring this masterpiece.
More closer.
Truly genius architecture.
Next, to the other building just opposite the gigantic Bird's Nest.
Water Cube - Beijing National Aquatics Center
Ticket: RMB 30
Opening Hours: 9:00am – 8:00pm (May - Oct); 9:00am – 6:00pm (Nov - April)
Beijing National Aquatics Center is just opposite to the Bird’s Nest across the street. It is the venue that hosted swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and other competitions in 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. When you see the building, you will get why it is nicknamed Water Cube. Looked from the outside, it seems to be enclosed by numerous watery bubbles. Water Cube is
the largest membrane structure project in the world. If you visit Water Cube at night, you will see the bubbles present different colors.
Lets the photos do the talking la ok... I dah takde idea nak buat caption :P
In the past, Chinese ancestors believed that the sky is round while the earth is square, and that is the way nature keeps harmonious. The square Water Cube together with the round Bird's Nest, embody and interpret this idea very well.
Beijing National Indoor Stadium
Ticket: RMB 20
Opening Hours: 9:00am - 7:00pm (Apr - Oct); 9:00am – 5:30pm (Nov - March)
The National Indoor Stadium is one of the three main venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which is now not open to the public. Viewing from a distance, the erect steel structure is like an open Chinese folding fan against a large area of crystal-clear glass curtain wall, and the wavy curves on the roof are like the ribbons dancing in rhythmic gymnastics. It is adjacent to the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, forming a distinctive architectural community. Being
the largest indoor comprehensive gymnasium in China, it hosted artistic gymnastics, trampoline, and handball events during the Olympics.
Sorry, "the Chinese Folding Fan" shape was not really visible from this angle.
2) The Northern Section - Olympic Forest Park
Olympic Forest Park
Ticket: Free
Opening Hours: 6:00am - 9:00pm (15 Mar - 15 Nov); 7:00am – 7:00pm (16 Nov - 14 Mar)
Olympic Forest Park is at the northern part of Olympic Green. The "back garden" of the 29th Olympic Games is rich in forest resources and the green coverage ratio has reached 95.61%. It is the
largest urban park in Beijing and the closest Forest Park to Beijing residents. The main mountain Yangshan is on the central axis of Beijing city, echoing Jingshan in the south near the Forbidden City. It not only conforms to the tradition of Chinese garden construction, but also complements the surrounding environment.
3) The Southern Section - the Olympic Sports Center Stadium
As the former National Olympic Sports Center, all the venues within this section were used for the 1990 Asian Games, including the stadium, gymnasium, and Yingdong Natatorium. Besides the Sports Center, there is the China Ethnic Culture Park (China Ethnic Museum). It collects and displays cultural relics of the 56 ethnic groups of China.
Believed me this park was so huge!!! We didn’t explore up to the North and South area, only focused on the centre area. As the weather became colder, my skin became completely dry and oily. It was fun hanging around there, but I think we had enough. Time to go back….
Photos taken along the way back to Subway station.
The Bird's nest stadium can also illuminate as billboard.
Such a cute car and passengers.
Electric car.
Tricycle for those who wanted to tour the whole park.
Souvenirs.
We took the route at the side of the Park.
I already started to have flu this time, hence why I covered my nose.
Tempat letak basikal pun cantik.
Unique.
Ok, bye-bye Olympic Park.
Finally we reached the same subway station when we came, and took train back to Hostel. Hang on, we had one last destination before called it a day. Continue next la ok. Skit lagi.... hehehheeheh.
