Beijing Heritage Sites Offer Free Admission for UNESCO Anniversary

Heritage sites along the Beijing Central Axis opened to the public on July 27, 2026, to commemorate the second anniversary of the site's inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The celebrations included free admission and the launch of new exhibitions at several key locations, including the Palace Museum, Zhengyangmen Gate, and the Altar of the God of Agriculture, also known as the Xiannongtan Temple.

The Altar of the God of Agriculture hosted a press preview for a new exhibition at the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum on July 24 ahead of the public opening. These events follow two years of institutional efforts to improve the area's landscape, international communication, and legal systems, as well as the installation of official UNESCO World Heritage signage.

The Beijing Central Axis spans 7.8 kilometers, stretching from Yongdingmen Gate in the south to the Drum and Bell Towers in the north. The axis reflects traditional Chinese urban planning and architectural philosophies that originated during the early Yuan Dynasty and were further extended during the Ming and Qing dynasties.