Beijing Capital Gymnasium

Beijing Capital Gymnasium

The Beijing Capital Gymnasium is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

The Capital Gymnasium is one of the largest, most multifunctional, and widely used sports venues in Beijing. It was completed in 1968. Located on the east side of Baishiqiao in Haidian District, it neighbors Beijing Zoo to the east and the Beijing Botanical Garden and the National Library of China to the west. Its primary functions include hosting international and domestic sports competitions, performances, training, as well as large-scale cultural and artistic events.

Construction of the Capital Gymnasium began on June 1, 1966, and it was officially put into use in October 1968. The entire project, from design and construction to materials and equipment, was accomplished using domestic resources, with a total cost of over 15 million yuan. The designer of the Beijing Capital Gymnasium was Xiong Ming.

Capital Gymnasium

The architectural layout is arranged by function across different levels. In addition to the main competition hall, there are three practice halls and six spectator rest areas. Spectators mainly enter the competition hall via outdoor staircases on the south, east, and west sides, leading to the second-floor rest area. The first floor houses facilities for athletes, referees, staff, and VIPs. The venue is also equipped with broadcasting, sound, TV transmission, fax, timing and scoring, air conditioning, and other systems.

The gymnasium’s competition hall can host a variety of sports including table tennis, badminton, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, ice hockey, and figure skating. The competition area measures 88 meters in length and 40 meters in width, consisting of 21 movable floor panels; each panel is 30 meters long and 3.5 meters wide. Beneath the floor is an ice rink. When the machinery is activated, the floor panels can be retracted to the east and west sides and lowered layer by layer into the floor storage area. Once the floor is removed, the underlying terrazzo surface is exposed. By pouring water on the terrazzo, the low-temperature ammonia cooling pipes within it enable year-round ice formation, maintaining a consistent ice temperature even during the hot summer months, allowing audiences to enjoy ice hockey games and various skating performances.

The competition area is surrounded by stands with a total of 18,000 spectator seats, accommodating up to 18,000 people. There are 18 entrances and exits for spectators, allowing for a complete evacuation within 5 minutes.

To accommodate the varying size requirements of different sports, the competition hall’s stands are divided into three types: movable, semi-movable, and fixed. The first five rows are movable stands, which can be pushed inward during ice hockey matches to expand the playing area. Rows six to ten on the east and west stands are semi-movable; for large-scale table tennis events, these can be removed to allow the simultaneous setup of 24 international-standard table tennis tables. The front half of the podium is also movable and can automatically rise and extend by 120 square meters to suit the needs of large conferences, then retract back behind the podium when not in use.

The competition hall is equipped with an air conditioning system that maintains indoor temperatures of no lower than 18°C in winter and no higher than 28°C in summer, with moderate temperatures maintained even during ice freezing.

To meet the standards of international competitions, the Capital Gymnasium upgraded its lighting, sound systems, and timing/scoring equipment in 1985. The lighting uses a hybrid system of dysprosium lamps and iodine-tungsten lamps (400W dysprosium lamps and 1000W iodine-tungsten lamps), achieving illumination levels that meet international competition requirements, with an average horizontal illuminance of 1500 lux. The electronic timing and scoring equipment represents advanced domestic technology for large gymnasiums, featuring a large-screen display that rapidly shows various game-related information. Additionally, it can display text content in both Chinese and English, such as slogans, mottos, advertisements, and speeches. The display boards can simultaneously show scores for sports like basketball, volleyball, handball, and ice hockey, or display different content as needed. All operations are controlled by computer. After renovation, the broadcast sound system’s power more than doubled, reaching an actual output of 1500–2000 watts.

Address: No. 5 Baishiqiao, Xizhimenwai, Haidian District, Beijing

Type: Sports Venue

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Transportation

1. Bus

Baishiqiao North — Routes 92, 332;

Baishiqiao East — Routes 27, 87, 105, 107, 111, 332, 334, 347, 360, 362, 534, 563, 608, 632, 697, 714, Night 8, Special 4, Special 5, Special 19, Yuntong 104, Yuntong 105, Yuntong 106.

2. Metro

Metro Lines 4 (Daxing Line) and 9 to National Library Station

Ticket

Ticket prices vary depending on specific performances and competitions

Opening Hours

Hours vary depending on specific performances and competitions

Zizhuyuan Subdistrict: Located in the southwest of Haidian District, Zizhuyuan Subdistrict borders Zhongguancun South Street to the east (adjacent to Beixiaguan Subdistrict), Shuangzi Canal to the south (adjacent to Ganjiakou and Balizhuang Subdistricts), Changhe River to the west (adjacent to Shuguang Subdistrict), and North Third Ring West Road – Changchunqiao Road to the north (adjacent to Haidian Subdistrict). Its predecessor, Landianchang Subdistrict, was established in November 1959, became an independent administrative area in March 1963, and was renamed Zizhuyuan Subdistrict in September 1978. It currently administers 24 communities, covers a total administrative area of 5.0 square kilometers, has a registered population of approximately 120,000, and a floating population of 31,605. Zizhuyuan Subdistrict detailed information++