"Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital" has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming China's 59th World Heritage Site. It was announced at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India, on July 27.

With its roots dating back to the paradigm of ideal capital planning in traditional Chinese culture, the Beijing Central Axis shows an ensemble of building complexes and archaeological sites that governs the overall layout of Beijing's old city.

Stretching 7.8 kilometers north-south through the heart of Beijing, the inscribed property comprises 15 components, with the Bell and Drum Towers at its northern end and Yongdingmen Gate at the southern end.