Beijing is one of China's four great ancient capitals, with over 3,000 years of history as a city and more than 850 years as a capital. The old city is organized around a 7.8km central axis running from the Bell and Drum Towers in the north to Yongding Gate in the south, connecting imperial palaces and ceremonial architecture. Beijing holds the record for the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites of any city in the world—eight in total: the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs, Grand Canal, and the Beijing Central Axis. The Forbidden City stands as the world's largest and best-preserved ancient palatial complex. This is where imperial grandeur meets the intimate rhythm of hutong alleyways.
