Zhongde Gate is located next to the Taihe Gate of the Forbidden City and is a must-pass route for visitors, making it a prime spot in the Forbidden City. The east tower on its eastern side was originally used as a storage facility for cultural relics, often housing old display cases and other items. Setting up a youth activity center on the east side of Zhongde Gate is just one of the activities held by the Forbidden City during Museum Day. On Friday, volunteers from the Palace Museum will
As a municipal-level cultural heritage site, the “Courtyard at No. 11 Neiwubu Street” in Dongcheng District is commonly referred to by locals as “Princess Six’s Mansion.” Location: Courtyard No. 11, Neiwubu Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing…
The Floating Jade Pavilion is located in the northeast corner of the Imperial Garden, directly facing the Gallery of Literary Prosperity, which stands against the northern wall of the garden, creating a picturesque scene. The pavilion has a square floor plan and is symmetrically arranged. It measures approximately 5 meters on each side, with a projecting front porch, and sits atop a rectangular water pool that runs east-west below. A single-arch stone bridge spans the pool, and the pavilion is built upon this bridge. Both the pavilion and the front porch are topped with green-glazed tiles edged in yellow, featuring a pointed roof crowned with a glazed finial. The bracket sets are of the one-bracket-and-two-jointed variety, showcasing distinct regional characteristics. The eaves on both sides are supported by carved beams, and there are lattice windows on all four sides, with intricate carvings adorning the central panels. Two side doors are set into the lower sections of the east and west walls, adding to the elegant ambiance.
The former Russian Embassy is located at the corner of the Second Ring Road Northeast, in the compound of the Russian Embassy in China, which was formerly the Soviet Embassy in China. Construction began in 1956, covering an area of 16.5 hectares, approximately 250 mu, making it the largest foreign embassy in Beijing both at that time and still today. The total floor area is 65,000 square meters.
The former site of the YMCA is a three-story red-brick building covering an area of 360 square meters. It was donated and built by Americans in 1911. In 1911, it was donated and built by Americans. The original clubhouse has been completely demolished. The YMCA now operates from the former site of the Christian Bible Society at 21 Dongdan North Street. Location: Beijing Dongcheng District…
Former Site of the French Barracks, located at No. 3, Tiaojichang San Tiao, Dongcheng District, Beijing, was originally the barracks for the French military stationed at the French Legation in Dongjiaominxiang. Location: No. 3, Tiaojichang San Tiao, Dongcheng District, Beijing…
Qianmen Mosque, located at No. 9 Yangwei Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing, is an Islamic mosque. Originally, the mosque's entrance faced south toward Tiaozhou Hutong, and it was once known as Tiaozhou Hutong Mosque. In 2000, it was renamed Qianmen Mosque. The mosque was built in the late Ming Dynasty and was renovated in the 19th year of the Kangxi reign (1680) and the 60th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty.
When Snow lived here, Paozi River still had water. In an era when “there was no longer room for a quiet desk in all of North China,” the beautiful scenery of Paozi River could not keep Snow at ease in his lectern or home. So, from this very courtyard, Snow stepped out onto the streets, threw himself into the December 9th Movement, and wrote the dispatch — “China’s Joan of Arc Has Been Arrested” — to inform the world about the Chinese students’ movement to resist Japan and save the nation. The news of the Red Army’s Long March reaching northern Shaanxi brought new thoughts to Snow. And so, he once again set out from this courtyard, traveled to the anti-Japanese base in northern Shaanxi, and conducted interviews and investigations. He subsequently authored the books — “A Foreigner’s Impressions of Northwest China” and “Red Star Over China” (“Journey to the West”) — “providing the Chinese people with the first authentic account of the Chinese Communist Party,” and also letting the world understand the cause and the inevitability of the final victory of the Chinese revolution.
The Former Site of the Geological Building of Peking University is located on Shatan North Street in Dongcheng District. It is a three-story Western-style building, constructed in 1934 and designed by Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin. Both its plan and façade are asymmetrical, with the structure adapting to functional requirements. Today, a stone embedded in the southwest corner of the building bears an inscription reading “May 15, 1934, the 23rd Year of the Republic of China – Foundation Stone Laid by Jiang Menglin, President of Peking University.”
The Former Site of the Beijing Branch of the China Bible House of the Christian Church is located at No. 21 Dongdan North Street. The Bible House was an institution specifically dedicated to printing and distributing the Christian Bible. Though not a denomination within Christianity, it was an indispensable organization for the dissemination of the faith. In the 13th year of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty (1833), the American Bible Society commissioned missionaries in China to print the Chinese Bible; in the 15th year of the Tongzhi reign (1876), the American Bible Society's China Branch was officially established in Shanghai; and in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), the Beijing Branch of the China Bible House (China Bible House Peking Brand) was opened in Beijing. Its first general secretary was American missionary Dr. T.G.N. Gatrell, but there was no printing facility—only wholesale and retail operations were conducted.
The Hall Without Beams refers to the main hall of the Abstinence Palace, built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420). It earned its name because it uses brick arches for support instead of traditional beams and pillars. The emperor would perform related rituals here when entering or leaving the Abstinence Palace. The hall is currently arranged as it was during the Qianlong era, with the horizontal plaque “Revering the Vast Heavens” being the calligraphy of Emperor Qianlong. The screen and throne are all original pieces, making them extremely precious.
The site of the former Imperial Post Office is located at No. 7 Xiaobaofang Hutong, Chongwennei Street, Dongcheng District, and is listed as part of the eighth batch of municipal-level cultural heritage protection units in Beijing. The Imperial Post Office was established in the 23rd year of the Guangxu reign (1897) and was originally housed within the office of the Inspectorate General of Customs. In the 31st year of the Guangxu reign (1905), it was relocated to this site, and in the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign (19
The facade of Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant is located at No. 30 Qianmen Street, Dongcheng District, and is listed as part of the Eighth Batch of Municipal Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Beijing. Established in the third year of the Tongzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1864), Quanjude is a renowned time-honored Chinese restaurant brand. This facade was built during the Republican era, featuring three bays constructed with blue bricks. The central section has an arched doorway, flanked by arched windows, all adorned with carved brick plaques. After the original shop interior was renovated, this facade was relocated and preserved inside the restaurant. It serves as a representative physical relic of commercial storefronts from the late Qing and early Republican periods.
The former site of the Beiping Telephone North Bureau is located at No. 14 Donghuangchenggen Street, Dongcheng District, and is listed as part of the eighth batch of municipal-level cultural heritage protection units in Beijing. The Beiping Telephone North Bureau was initially built in the 1930s, funded jointly by the then Beiping Municipal Government and Japanese telecommunications authorities. The exterior of the bureau's machine room building imitates traditional Chinese architectural styles, and the main structures...
The courtyard at No. 32 Donghuangchenggen South Street is located at No. 32, Donghuangchenggen South Street, Dongcheng District. It is listed as part of the eighth batch of municipal-level cultural heritage conservation units in Beijing. Built in the late Qing Dynasty, it was originally the residence of Jun Qi, the Qing Dynasty’s Superintendent of the Canton Customs. Later, it was confiscated for exceeding regulations and granted to Zhao Xiang, the younger brother of Empress Dowager Cixi. The courtyard faces south and covers an area of approximately 7,000 square meters.
The Western Returned Scholars Association is located at No. 111 Nanheyuan Street, Dongcheng District, and is listed as one of Beijing's Eighth Batch of Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Units. Established in 1913, it was founded to unite overseas Chinese who studied in Europe and America and encourage them to return to contribute to the nation’s development. The original site of the association was the Chongzhi Palace of the Eastern Imperial Park during the Ming Dynasty, which was converted into Pusheng Temple in the eighth year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1651), commonly known as Shidazi Temple. It served as the residence in Beijing of the Mongolian eminent monk Namo Khan. In 1915, members of the Western Returned Scholars Association pooled funds to purchase the temple, renovated and rebuilt it into their clubhouse. The original temple covered an area of approximately 2,700 square meters, with main structures including a three-bay second gate, a three-bay main hall, and three-bay east and west side halls, all interconnected by surrounding corridors. The street-facing main gate was newly built in modern times. This building holds landmark significance for the Eastern Imperial Park of the Ming Dynasty’s imperial city, and bears high commemorative value regarding the religious and ethnic policies of the early Qing Dynasty, as well as the history of modern science, democracy, and --.
No. 2, Beizongbu Hutong Residence is located at No. 2, Beizongbu Hutong, Dongcheng District, and is a cultural heritage site under the eighth batch of municipal-level protection by Beijing Municipality. The residence faces south with its back to the north and has a “工” (work) shaped floor plan. Its main structure is a building that blends Chinese and Western architectural styles, built with brick and wood, featuring one floor above ground and one below. This residence was constructed in 1918 by the Rockefeller family, an American oil magnate.
The Qing Dynasty Waterworks is located at No. 3 Xiangheyuan, Dongzhimenwai, Dongcheng District, and is part of the eighth batch of municipal-level cultural heritage sites in Beijing. Originally named “The Capital Water Supply Company,” it was built in 1908 as a government-supervised and merchant-operated enterprise. Existing structures include the main gate, steam engine room, waterworks chimney, clear water reservoir, incoming water pavilion, water supply pavilion, watchtower, and office buildings—all well-preserved. This facility is Beijing’s earliest waterworks and represents one of the first public utilities wholly independently invested in and constructed during the modern era, holding significant importance in the development history of Beijing’s municipal engineering. The architecture is all in European style, providing valuable physical material for the study of modern architecture.
The remnants of the Imperial City Wall are located in Dongcheng District and Xicheng District, and are designated as part of the seventh batch of municipal-level cultural heritage protection sites in Beijing. The Imperial City Wall has a history of over 500 years. According to architectural standards, the wall was constructed from large city bricks and features a slight inward taper (standing 6 meters tall, with a base thickness of 2 meters and a top thickness of 1.73 meters). Its top is adorned with ice-plate eaves and covered with yellow glazed tiles. The surviving sections
No. 13 Heizhima Hutong Courtyard House is located at No. 13 Heizhima Hutong, Dongcheng District, and is listed as part of the seventh batch of municipal-level cultural heritage conservation units in Beijing. This courtyard once served as the residence of Ku Jun, Governor of Sichuan, and Gu Mengyu, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The entrance features eleven wing rooms facing the gate, eight and a half passageway rooms in the second courtyard, a floral-pendant gate separating the second and third courtyards, three main rooms, and three rooms on each of the eastern and western sides.