Aerial View of Beijing’s Central Axis
[Photo by Ma Wenxiao]
July 27 marks the first anniversary of the successful inscription of Beijing’s Central Axis on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Over the past year, this 7.8-kilometer “spine of the ancient capital” has been brimming with new vitality, emerging as a true golden calling card of Beijing.
Since gaining World Heritage status, Beijing’s Central Axis has evolved from a renowned cultural tourism landmark into a prominent platform for international exchange and civilizational dialogue. On April 10, 2025, Beijing announced the first batch of 17 venues for the Beijing Culture Forum, ten of which are located within the Central Axis heritage area and its buffer zones. These include the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the Temple of Heaven, the Bell and Drum Towers, the Celebration Palace at Xiannongtan Park, and The Guan: Beijing Central Axis Local Culture Museum. Take Xiannongtan as an example — once the grandest royal site for worshiping the God of Agriculture, it has now transformed into Beijing’s “diplomatic salon for global governance”. It has hosted diplomats and cultural envoys from over 50 countries, as well as more than 270 travel industry representatives from over 40 countries and regions.
With over 700 years of history, Beijing’s Central Axis is blending its deep cultural legacy with fresh, modern vitality, becoming an integral part of everyday life. From routine sightseeing and immersive cultural activities to bringing home creative souvenirs like phoenix crown fridge magnets or Tiangong ceiling dome magnets, the ancient and the modern now coexist in vivid harmony. Visitors can also unwind on rooftop terraces — sipping tea or coffee, savoring local delicacies, watching performances, enjoying concerts, or even playing a game of tennis. Today, more than 30 rooftop terraces can be found along the Central Axis, such as No. 33 Gulou West Street, No. 20 Zhaofu Street, the rooftop of Longfu Building, and the rooftop of Hongqiao Market — each offering sweeping views of the city’s evolving skyline, where the timeless charm of the old capital meets the vibrancy of contemporary life.
A virtual tour of the Central Axis is also an ideal option. The “Digital Central Axis” project, a major urban cultural preservation initiative, leverages cutting-edge technologies such as HD scanning, 3D modeling, cloud gaming, and interactive gameplay to faithfully recreate the 7.8-km core heritage area. It digitally maps over 300,000 plants and 2.2 million buildings. Its flagship product, “Digital Central Axis—Microcosm,” is the world’s first large-scale immersive digital experience of a city’s historic landscape. The project has established a comprehensive digital exhibition ecosystem, which includes the “Digital Central Axis” mini-program, the official Beijing Central Axis website, as well as offline immersive exhibitions at 15 heritage sites along the axis and traveling showcases both in China and abroad. To date, the mini-program alone has recorded over nine million visits and nearly one million registered users.
Of course, nothing beats experiencing the Central Axis in person through immersive, on-the-ground exploration. Ten curated cultural routes are now available to suit a variety of interests, covering the Forbidden City, Yongdingmen Gate, Wangfujing, Qianmen, the Bell and Drum Towers, Guijie Street, the Temple of Heaven, and Sanlihe. These routes connect museums, art centers, cultural districts, and time-honored brands, creating a tapestry of cultural and consumer experiences. In addition to walking, jogging, and cycling tours, a dedicated Central Axis sightseeing bus has also been introduced for the first time. Each route features expert guides and unique cultural activities.
From: Beijing Daily, Beijing Evening News, Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, etc.