Seven World Cultural Heritage Sites in Beijing

As a well-known city famous for its rich history and culture, Beijing boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

01

The Great Wall

[Photo via tuchong.com]

In 1987, the Great Wall was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stretching tirelessly from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD, the Great Wall is a monumental military endeavor conceived as a formidable defense mechanism spanning the northern frontier. From Shanhaiguan in Hebei Province to its western terminus at Jiayuguan in Gansu Province, the Great Wall spans an astounding length of over 20,000 kilometers.

02

The Palace Museum

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In 1987, the Palace Museum was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, is the imperial palace that served the Ming and Qing dynasties. As a significant embodiment and distillation of China's 5,000-year-old civilization, the magnificent architectural complex holds an esteemed position as one of China's and the world's most illustrious cultural treasures.

03

Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian

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The Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. Located in the northern expanse of Longgu Mountain, Zhoukoudian Town, Fangshan District, the Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site boasts a vast collection of relics, making it one of the most comprehensive, systematic and valuable early Paleolithic human sites in the world. 

The Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian is divided into two parts: the site park and the museum. The site park showcases the original fossil excavation sites, including a field display of strata. The museum offers rich and detailed exhibitions, providing visitors with fascinating insights into archaeology.

04

The Summer Palace

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In 1998, the UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List. 

The Summer Palace, formerly known as "Qingyi Yuan" (the Garden of Clear Ripples), has a history dating back to 1750, during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty. It mainly consists of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill.

05

Temple of Heaven

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The Temple of Heaven was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998. Situated in the southern part of downtown Beijing, it held a special significance for the Ming and Qing emperors. Every year, they visited the park to partake in solemn ceremonies, praying for bountiful harvests and divine blessings from Heaven. 

The Temple of Heaven covers an area of 273 hectares and is divided into two parts: the inner part and the outer part. The inner part comprises the Circular Mound Altar and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, while the outer part is a forested area with a diverse array of trees, including more than 3,500 ancient pine trees and cypresses.

06

The Ming Tombs

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The Ming Tombs were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003.

The tombs lie at the foot of Tianshou Mountain in Changping District, about 50 kilometers from the city center of Beijing. Originally built in 1409, the tombs cover an area of 40 square kilometers. This site is the largest preserved imperial mausoleum complex, containing the greatest number of tombs belonging to emperors and empresses, both in China and around the world.

07

The Grand Canal

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The Grand Canal was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2014. Its construction began in 486 B.C. and it is comprised of three main segments: the Sui-Tang Grand Canal, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and the Zhedong Canal, which together consist of ten sections. The Grand Canal connects 27 cities across eight provincial-level regions.

Several sections of the Grand Canal in Beijing have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These include Shichahai (including Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai) in the Old Beijing City Section of Tonghui Canal in Xicheng District, the Yuhe River Old Course (from Wanning Bridge in the west to Dongbuya Bridge in the east) in the Old Beijing City Section of Tonghui Canal in Dongcheng District, and the Tongzhou Section of Tonghui Canal (from Yongtong Bridge in the west to Tongzhou Beiguan Lock Gate in the east). Additionally, the Chengqing Upper Lock Gate (Wanning Bridge) in Xicheng District and the Chengqing Middle Lock Gate (Dongbuya Bridge) in Dongcheng District have also been included on the list. These sites are all popular tourist destinations in Beijing.

(Source: visitbeijing.com.cn)

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