From Yongding Gate in the south to the Bell and Drum Towers in the north, the 7.8-kilometer-long central axis of Beijing is the longest and best preserved central axis of ancient cities in existence around the world. Praised as the soul and spine of the old city of Beijing, it reflects the unceasing inheritance and development of the 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization and features the blending of ancient and modern charms. In 2012, Beijing's central axis was included on China's World Cultural Heritage Tentative List.

Yongding Gate [Photo by Bruce Connolly from the United Kingdom]

Front Sea (Qianhai) [Photo by Bruce Connolly from the United Kingdom]

Meridian Gate (Wumen) [Photo by Bruce Connolly from the United Kingdom]