Seven World Cultural Heritage Sites in Ancient Capital Beijing

As a global city famous for its rich history and culture, Beijing has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

1. The Great Wall 

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

The Great Wall was continuously built from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD on the northern borders as a great military defence project of Chinese dynasties. The Great Wall begins in the east at Shanhaiguan in Hebei Province and ends at Jiayuguan in Gansu Province to the west, with a total length of more than 20,000 kilometers.

The Great Wall [Photo via tuchong.com]

2. The Palace Museum 

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 of the consecutive Ming and Qingdynasties. Carrying 5,000 years' Chinese history and culture, the magnificent architectural complex is thus recognized as one of the most prestigious cultural heritages in China and the world.

The Palace Museum [Photo via tuchong.com]

3. Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian 

Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. The Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site is located in the north of Longgu Mountain, Zhoukoudian Town, Fangshan District,  Beijing. With a large number of relics, it is 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, i.e. the site park and the museum. The site park mainly shows the original fossil excavation sites, with a field display of strata. The museum offers rich and detailed exhibitions, where visitors can learn a lot of interesting knowledge about archaeology. 

Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian [Photo via tuchong.com]

4. The Summer Palace

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

The history of the Summer Palace, formerly known as "Qingyi Yuan" (Gardens of Clear Ripples), can be traced back to 1750 during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. It mainly consists of the Kunming Lake and the Longevity Hill.

The Summer Palace [Photo via tuchong.com]

5. Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998. Situated in southern urban Beijing, the Temple of Heaven was visited by emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of worship and prayer to Heaven for good harvest. 

The Temple of Heaven covers an area of 273 hectares and is divided into the inner part and outer part. While the inner part comprises the Circular Mound Altar and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the outer part is a forest area with a wide range of trees including more than 3,500 ancient pine trees and cypresses.

Temple of Heaven [Photo via tuchong.com]

6. Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties 

The Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties 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 urban area. Initially built in 1409, the tombs cover an area of 40 square kilometers. This site is the largest preserved imperial mausoleum complex, with the biggest number of tombs of emperors and their wives, both in China and the world.

Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties [Photo via VCG]

7. The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2014. Constructed from 486 B.C., it consists of three major parts, i.e. the Sui-Tang Canal, the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal and the Zhedong Canal, which comprise 10 sections. The Grand Canal connects 27 cities across eight provincial-level regions. 

Located in Beijing, the following sections of the Grand Canal have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 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). The Chengqing Upper Lock Gate (Wanning Bridge) in Xicheng District and the Chengqing Middle Lock Gate (Dongbuya Bridge) in Dongcheng District are also on the list. All these sites are important public attractions in Beijing.

The Grand Canal [Photo via tuchong.com]