Beijing: the Forbidden City Rooftops at Dawn

Beijing sits on the North China Plain at 44 meters, with the Yan Mountains visible to the north and west on clear days. Jingshan Park, a 45-meter coal hill built from excavated Forbidden City moat earth, sits directly north of the palace complex: from its summit pavilion, the view south across the golden rooftops of the Forbidden City is the most-reproduced Beijing image. Sunrise from the east catches the glazed yellow tiles before the smog layer builds. The Summer Palace, 15 kilometers northwest, sits on Kunming Lake with the Western Hills beyond; the Longevity Hill pagoda gives the lake reflected in the surrounding mountains. Great Wall sections at Mutianyu (90 km northeast) receive golden light on the crenellations in the first 40 minutes after sunrise. At 39.9°N, golden hour lasts about 39 minutes.