Google Map World Heritage sites for China

Main link goes to Google satellite image of area. In most places you can zoom in once, in some places all the way. Use "VR" link for virtual reality tours, "Img" for Google images. Please note, some coordinates have errors. If you find the true coordinates, comment on my blog.

Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor: VR [Img] "No doubt thousands of statues still remain to be unearthed at this archaeological site, which was not discovered until 1974. Qin (d. 210 B.C.), the first unifier of China, is..." [More]
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang: VR [Img] "Seat of supreme power for over five centuries, the Forbidden City, with its landscaped gardens and many buildings (whose nearly 10,000 rooms contain furniture and works of..." [More]
Longmen Grottoes: VR [Img] "The grottoes and niches of Longmen contain the largest and most impressive collection of Chinese art of the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties (316-907). These works,..." [More]
Mount Wuyi: VR [Img] "Mount Wuyi is the most outstanding area for biodiversity conservation in south-east China and a refuge for a large number of ancient, relict species, many of them endemic to..." [More]
Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area: VR [Img] "The first Buddhist temple in China was built here in Sichuan Province in the 1st century A.D. in the beautiful surroundings of the summit Mount Emei. The addition of other..." [More]
Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System: VR [Img] "Construction of the Dujiangyan irrigation system began in the 3rd century B.C. This system still controls the waters of the Minjiang River and distributes it to the fertile..." [More]
Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing: VR [Img] "The Summer Palace in Beijing - first built in 1750, largely destroyed in the war of 1860 and restored on its original foundations in 1886 - is a masterpiece of Chinese..." [More]
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area: VR [Img] "Situated in the north-west of Sichaun Province, the Huanglong valley is made up of snow-capped peaks and the easternmost of all the Chinese glaciers. In addition to its..." [More]
Ancient City of Ping Yao: VR [Img] "Ping Yao is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a traditional Han Chinese city, founded in the 14th century. Its urban fabric shows the evolution of architectural..." [More]
Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing: VR [Img] "The Temple of Heaven, founded in the first half of the 15th century, is a dignified complex of fine cult buildings set in gardens and surrounded by historic pine woods. In..." [More]
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu: VR [Img] "The temple, cemetery and family mansion of Confucius, the great philosopher, politician and educator of the 6th-5th centuries B.C., are located at Qufu, in Shandong Province...." [More]
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area: VR [Img] "A spectacular area stretching over more than 26,000 ha in China's Hunan Province, the site is dominated by more than 3,000 narrow sandstone pillars and peaks, many over..." [More]
Dazu Rock Carvings: VR [Img] "The steep hillsides of the Dazu area contain an exceptional series of rock carvings dating from the 9th to the 13th century. They are remarkable for their aesthetic quality,..." [More]
Mogao Caves: VR [Img] "Situated at a strategic point along the Silk Route, at the crossroads of trade as well as religious, cultural and intellectual influences, the 492 cells and cave sanctuaries..." [More]
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas: [Img] "Consisting of eight geographical clusters of protected areas within the boundaries of the Three Parallel Rivers National Park, in the mountainous north-west of Yunnan..." [More]
Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui - Xidi and Hongcun: VR [Img] "The two traditional villages of Xidi and Hongcun preserve to a remarkable extent the appearance of non-urban settlements of a type that largely disappeared or was transformed..." [More]
Classical Gardens of Suzhou: VR [Img] "Classical Chinese garden design, which seeks to recreate natural landscapes in miniature, is nowhere better illustrated than in the nine gardens in the historic city of..." [More]
Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom: [Img] "The site includes archaeological remains of three cities and 40 tombs: Wunu Mountain City, Guonei City and Wandu Mountain City, 14 tombs are imperial, 26 of nobles. All..." [More]
Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: VR [Img] "The Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties are four groups of tombs in four provinces of eastern China. The tombs, designed in keeping with the Chinese principles of..." [More]
Mount Taishan: VR [Img] "The sacred Mount Tai ('shan' means 'mountain') was the object of an imperial cult for nearly 2,000 years, and the artistic masterpieces found there are in..." [More]
Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian: VR [Img] "Scientific work at the site, which lies 42 km south-west of Beijing, is still underway. So far, it has led to the discovery of the remains of Sinanthropus pekinensis, who..." [More]
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains: VR [Img] "The palaces and temples which form the nucleus of this group of secular and religious buildings exemplify the architectural and artistic achievements of China's Yuan,..." [More]
Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde: VR [Img] "The Mountain Resort (the Qing dynasty's summer palace), in Hebei Province, was built between 1703 and 1792. It is a vast complex of palaces and administrative and..." [More]
Old Town of Lijiang: VR [Img] "The Old Town of Lijiang, which is perfectly adapted to the uneven topography of this key commercial and strategic site, has retained a historic townscape of high quality and..." [More]
Mount Huangshan: VR [Img] "Huangshan, known as 'the loveliest mountain of China', was acclaimed through art and literature during a good part of Chinese history (e.g. the Shanshui..." [More]
Lushan National Park: VR [Img] "Mount Lushan, in Jiangxi, is one of the spiritual centres of Chinese civilization. Buddhist and Taoist temples, along with landmarks of Confucianism, where the most eminent..." [More]
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area: VR [Img] "Stretching over 72,000 ha in the northern part of Sichuan Province, the jagged Jiuzhaigou valley reaches a height of more than 4,800 m, thus comprising a series of diverse..." [More]
The Great Wall: VR [Img] "In c. 220 B.C., under Qin Shi Huang, sections of earlier fortifications were joined together to form a united defence system against invasions from the north. Construction..." [More]
Yungang Grottoes: VR [Img] "The Yungang Grottoes, in Datong city, Shanxi Province, with their 252 caves and 51,000 statues, represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China in the 5th..." [More]
Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa: [Img] "The Potala Palace, winter palace of the Dalai Lama since the 7th century, symbolizes Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet. The..." [More]

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