Date with 20 cultural heritage sites at Cultural and Natural Heritage Day (6)

6. Site of Xanadu

Site of Xanadu. (Photo/Xinhua)

Xanadu was the capital of Kublai Khan's Yuan Dynasty in China, located north of the Great Wall.

It encompasses the remains of Kublai Khan's legendary capital city, designed by the Mongol ruler's Chinese advisor, Liu Bingzhong, in 1256. It was an attempt to assimilate the nomadic Mongolian and Han Chinese cultures.

The site was planned according to traditional Chinese feng shui in relation to the nearby mountains and river. It features the remains of the city, including temples, palaces, tombs, nomadic encampments and the Tiefangang Canal, along with other waterways.

The site of Xanadu was added to the list on June 29, 2012.