චීනයේ බෙයිජිං මධ්‍යම අක්ෂයත් ‘ලෝක උරුම ලැයිස්තුව’ට

UNESCO announces inclusion of Beijing Central Axis into World Heritage List

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Saturday announced the inclusion of the Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital, into its world heritage list.

The announcement was made at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee of the UNESCO, which opened on July 21 in the Indian capital city of New Delhi and will last until July 31.

The Beijing Central Axis is 7.8 kilometers long, starting from the Yongding Gate in the south of the capital and ending with the Drum Tower and Bell Tower in the north.

It is a line exhibiting the beauty of Beijing. It represents China's ideal capital layout and configuration, and has been spanning without interruptions for centuries.

The Axis was originated during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and has undergone continuous improvement over the past 700 years, with an orderly and magnificent urban building complex coming into shape. It includes 15 heritages composition, which are divided into ancient royal palace buildings, ancient royal sacrificial buildings, ancient urban management facilities, national ceremonial and public buildings, and central road remains.

Gates, palaces, temples, squares and gardens of the old city are all linked up to the Axis. As they witnessed the folk activities along the line from old days to new ones, they themselves are a joy to behold at all times.

Several attractions along the Axis, like the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, have already been designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. And efforts to get the entire Central Axis recognized by UNESCO began in 2011. Since then, over 100 cultural heritage restoration projects have been carried out along the Axis.

"Beijing's Central Axis is an important symbol that reflects the outstanding hallmark of Chinese civilization, highlights Beijing's prominence among the world's famous ancient capitals, and demonstrates China's traditional capital layout theory and the philosophical ideas of 'golden mean' and 'harmony'. It has made a far-reaching impact on the history of world urban planning and construction, and is a shining Chinese model for ancient capital protection and sustainable development," said Li Qun, head of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration.

The World Heritage Committee meets once a year, and consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.

• Tags:
• featured