Chang'an Avenue

Chang'an Avenue

Chang'an Avenue is an east-west axis in Beijing, stretching from Jianguomen in the east to Fuxingmen in the west. Tiananmen and Tiananmen Square are located on the northern side of the avenue's midpoint. It is also known as "China's No. 1 Street."

Constructed between the fourth and eighteenth years of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1406–1420), Chang'an Avenue was built alongside the Imperial City and formed a crucial component of the Ming Dynasty's urban planning for Beijing. The east-west aligned Chang'an Avenue intersects perpendicularly with the eight-kilometer-long north-south Imperial Axis at Tiananmen, creating an accurate central "ten" grid coordinate point. This layout established Beijing’s overall design of facing south with streets extending in all directions.

After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Jianguomen and Fuxingmen—located on the eastern and western sides of the inner city wall—were opened in the 29th year of the Republic of China (1940). Following the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the street was widened to 50–100 meters. The extended lines of East and West Chang'an Avenue reach Tongzhou in the east and Shijingshan in the west, spanning a total length of 50 kilometers, earning it the nickname "Hundred Li Long Street."

Chang'an Avenue holds an extremely significant position in Beijing and even across the nation. Symbols of China—Tiananmen and Tiananmen Square—are situated along the avenue. On both sides are the Great Hall of the People, Zhongnanhai, and other central government offices. There are also numerous cultural institutions nearby, such as the Museum of the Chinese Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History (now combined as the National Museum of China), the Palace Museum, the National Centre for the Performing Arts, the Beijing Concert Hall, and the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution. The avenue is also home to important commercial districts including CBD, Dongdan, Wangfujing, Xidan, and the Financial Street. The People's Bank of China, China's central bank, is also located on Chang'an Avenue. Additionally, Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station are nearby.

Chang'an Avenue has relatively strict traffic control measures (for example, trucks are prohibited from entering the avenue at all times). Although congestion is common during peak hours, the Beijing municipal government has implemented a "green wave" system for traffic lights on Chang'an Avenue to help ensure smooth vehicle flow.

According to Beijing’s local regulations on outdoor advertising, commercial advertisements are not permitted within Chang'an Avenue and its surrounding 100-meter radius.

The trees lining Chang'an Avenue are Chinese scholar trees, while magnolia trees grow along the outer walls of Zhongnanhai.

How long is Chang'an Avenue? Historically, the term “Chang'an Street” referred to the stretch from Dongdan to Xidan, approximately 7.4 Chinese li (3.7 km) in length. The commonly mentioned “Ten Li Long Street” refers to the distance from Jianguomen to Fuxingmen, which is about 13.4 Chinese li (6.7 km). The currently referenced “Hundred Li Long Street” extends from Tongzhou to Shijingshan, spanning a total of 84 Chinese li (42 km). The terms “Ten Li” and “Hundred Li” are approximate and not exact measurements.

Address: Dongcheng District, Beijing, stretching from Dongdan in the east to Xidan in the west

Type: Featured Neighborhood

Recommended Visit Duration: Suggested 1 day

Opening Hours:

Open all day

Ticket Information:

No admission fee required.