The Bird’s Nest (National Stadium) is located at the northern end of Beijing’s central axis. It is the main stadium of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. With its high-end and magnificent appearance and numerous international competitions held, it has become one of Beijing’s new landmarks in recent years. The unique exterior of the stadium is woven into the shape of a ‘bird’s nest’ by crisscrossing steel like branches.
The undulating curved lines make it look like a rhythmic living body, and the shape is extremely visually impactful. The Auspicious Cloud Torch Tower originally placed on top of the Bird’s Nest has now been moved to the torch square on the northeast side of the Bird’s Nest. You can see it outside the stadium. Inside attractions: Inside the Bird’s Nest, nearly 100,000 red spectator seats are densely packed, which is quite spectacular. At the same time, there are some exhibitions related to the Bird’s Nest construction project and Olympic themes on display. This is what you can visit inside the Bird’s Nest with a 50-yuan admission ticket. If you buy an 80-yuan ticket for the Bird’s Nest Sky Corridor (referred to as ‘Dingmei’), in addition to visiting the above contents, you can also take the elevator on the north side of the fifth floor of the Bird’s Nest to the top – the place where the original Auspicious Cloud Torch Tower was located. Through the steel mesh under your feet, the crisscross steel structure and the interior landscape of the Bird’s Nest are all in full view. The surrounding Linglong Tower and the Olympic Park Landscape Avenue are all in full view. Looking into the distance at Beijing City, if the weather is good, you can even see the outline of Jingshan Park in the south. If you buy a 110-yuan VIP ticket, then in addition to the contents visited with a 50-yuan admission ticket and the Bird’s Nest Sky Corridor, there is also an additional VIP area. The golden hall, golden passage, and resplendent yet solemn lounge are truly a combination of ‘high-end, grand, and upper-class’. Photography tips: The appearance of the Bird’s Nest is already unique enough. Generally, tourists who do not visit the interior and just take pictures outside are also very good. There are many landscape lights for illumination on the square around the Bird’s Nest, all made in the shape of a bird’s nest. Using the ‘small bird’s nest’ landscape light as the foreground and the ‘big bird’s nest’ National Stadium as the background, the photos taken are quite interesting. At night, the Bird’s Nest lights up with red lights. The blue lights (which will change to other colors) of the Water Cube next to it complement each other, and the night view is very beautiful. However, don’t go too late, otherwise the lights will be turned off. There is an artificial river to the east of the Bird’s Nest. Find your favorite position by the artificial river and take a photo of the lit Bird’s Nest and its reflection on the water surface, which is the ‘standard photo’ of the Bird’s Nest. In addition to hosting sports events, the Bird’s Nest also undertakes cultural activities such as concerts. There are souvenirs related to the Olympics and the Bird’s Nest itself for sale inside the Bird’s Nest. On the square between the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube, there are long strings of kites (many small kites connected in a series) for sale. They are very unique and you can fly kites. In addition, water and food in the scenic area are relatively expensive. Opening hours: Open from 10:00 to 18:00 on November 1st – November 2nd; Open from 10:00 to 18:00 from November 4th to March 15th; Open from 10:00 to 22:00 from March 16th to October 31st; Open from 16:00 to 22:00 on November 3rd. Preferential policies: Children: 1.For those under 2 meters (inclusive) or under 6 years old (inclusive), with valid documents (must be accompanied by an adult), it’s free. For the elderly: those aged 60 (inclusive) to 64 (inclusive), with valid documents (senior citizen card or ID card), enjoy discounts. For those aged 65 (inclusive) and above, with valid documents (senior citizen card or ID card), it’s free. For students: full-time primary, secondary, college students and postgraduates (excluding adult education), with valid student ID cards, enjoy discounts.
For the disabled: with one’s own “Disability Certificate”, it’s free. For active-duty military personnel: with one’s own “Officer Card”, “Civilian Personnel Card”, “Soldier Card”, enjoy discounts. For fire rescue personnel: with one’s own “Firefighter Card”, enjoy discounts. Must-see tips: 1. Climbing to the top can overlook the interior of the Bird’s Nest. The surrounding Linglong Tower and the Olympic Park Landscape Avenue are all in full view. You can also overlook Beijing City in the distance. 2. At night, red lights are on, contrasting with the blue National Aquatics Center (Water Cube), which is suitable for taking night views.
