Palaces and monuments in Xicheng District

Imperial Beijing

Beijing’s central axis anchors the city's imperial identity, stretching from the southern Zhengyangmen gate to the northern Bell and Drum Towers. This collection features the Forbidden City’s core ceremonial halls, the monumental Meridian Gate, and the symbolic Nine Dragon Screen. These sites reflect Ming and Qing dynasty urban planning, showcasing traditional Chinese architecture, symmetrical layouts, and structures used for state ceremonies, ancestral worship, and imperial timekeeping.

Saad Akhtar / CC BY 2.0

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…

张瑜 / Public domain

Gate of Heavenly Peace

This 15th-century gate is one of the most iconic symbols of China. It was built during the Ming dynasty and it used to be the entrance to…

ImMrDrake / Public domain

Hall of Supreme Harmony

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest hall within the Forbidden City in Beijing, China.

DanterTaylor / CC BY-SA 3.0

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…

Zaptel / CC BY 2.0

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.

Neo-Jay / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Xinhua Gate

The formal entrance to the Zhongnanhai compound, originally built in 1758 as Baoyue Tower. This red-walled gatehouse on West Chang'an Avenue features a traditional double-eave roof and serves as the gateway to China's central government headquarters.

Temlsth / CC BY-SA 3.0

Zhengyangmen

Qianmen is the colloquial name for Zhengyangmen, a gate in Beijing's historic city wall.

Zaptel / CC BY 2.0

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.

Nine Dragon Screen

A 27-meter-long glazed tile wall built in 1756 within Beihai Park. It is one of China's three great dragon screens, featuring nine intricate, multi-colored dragons on both sides to ward off evil spirits.

Shouhuang Palace

Located at the northern end of Jingshan Park, this palace complex was built in 1749 for imperial ancestral worship. It is the second-largest building group on Beijing's central axis, recently restored to showcase Qing-era ritual architecture.

Meridian Gate

The massive southern entrance to the Forbidden City, featuring a U-shaped layout and five pavilions known as the Five Phoenix Towers. Historically, emperors used this gate to review troops and announce the lunar calendar.

Palace of Heavenly Purity

The largest residence in the Forbidden City's Inner Court, serving as the emperor's primary bedroom and audience hall during the Ming and early Qing dynasties. It later functioned as a venue for state banquets and mourning rituals.