Xicheng District

Historical sites in Xicheng District

Heritage & Imperial History

Beijing’s central axis and its surrounding districts preserve the architectural legacy of the Ming and Qing dynasties. This collection spans the world’s largest palace complex at the Forbidden City, the ceremonial expanse of Tian’anmen Square, and traditional timekeeping structures like the Bell and Drum Towers. It also features specialized spiritual sites, including the Temple of Ancient Monarchs and the Tibetan-style white stupa at Miaoying Temple, alongside the 15th-century Indian-influenced architecture of the Five Pagoda Temple.

Heritage & Imperial History — Map

Saad Akhtar / CC BY 2.0

A

Forbidden City

Covering unbelievable 720,000 square metres of land, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest ancient palace in the world, serving as…

giladr / CC BY 2.0

B

Tian'anmen Square

Tiananmen Square or Tian'anmen Square () is a city square in the city center of Beijing, China, named after the eponymous Tiananmen located…

Zaptel / CC BY 2.0

C

Bell Tower

The Drum Tower of Beijing, or Gulou, is situated at the northern end of the central axis of the Inner City to the north of Di'anmen Street.

Zaptel / CC BY 2.0

D

Drum Tower

The Drum Tower of Beijing, or Gulou, is situated at the northern end of the central axis of the Inner City to the north of Di'anmen Street.

DanterTaylor / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Monument to the People's Heroes

The Monument to the People's Heroes is a ten-story obelisk that was erected as a national monument of China to the martyrs of revolutionary…

F

Temple of Ancient Monarchs

Built in 1530 during the Ming dynasty, this temple was used by emperors to perform sacrifices to legendary Chinese rulers and past monarchs. The main Jingde Hall features imperial yellow glazed tiles and original Ming-era wooden architecture.

White, Herbert C. / Public domain

G

Five Pagoda Temple

The Five Pagoda Temple, formally known as the "Temple of the Great Righteous Awakening" or "Zhenjue Temple" for short, is a Ming dynasty…

H

Miaoying Temple

Dating to the Yuan dynasty, this temple is home to the White Stupa, a 50-meter-tall Tibetan-style structure designed by Nepali architect Araniko in 1271. It remains the oldest and largest stupa of its kind in Beijing.

I

Former Residence of Soong Ching-Ling

Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling or Soong Ching-ling Memorial Residence may refer to:

Other Lists

Xicheng District Essentials Editor's Choice Imperial Beijing Temples & Religious Landmarks