Beijing Makes Progress in Adding Central Axis to the World Heritage List

Beijing has made progress in applying to add its Central Axis to the list of world cultural heritage sites, a spokesperson for the city’s cultural heritage bureau said on February 13.

According to a three-year action plan on the conservation of the Central Axis, projects related to cultural relic protection, environmental improvement, and resident relocation have been developing quite well, Liu Hongchang, spokesperson of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, said at a press conference.

“A draft of our written application was submitted to the World Heritage Center for format review ahead of schedule,” Liu said.

The successful holding of a series of events, including the Asian Dialogue for Cultural Heritage Conservation and the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, did much to expand the international awareness of Beijing’s Central Axis, said Liu.

The Beijing Central Axis is 7.8 kilometers long, starting in the south of Beijing from the Yongding Gate and ending with the Drum Tower and Bell Tower in the north. Most of the significant old-city buildings in Beijing are located along this axis.