Chang'an Avenue in Beijing - China Travel Agency, China Tours 2019

Chang’an Avenue in Beijing

Attractions Overview

Chang'an Avenue (Chang an Jie), literally "the Street of Eternal Peace", was built together with the Forbidden City during the years from 1406 to 1420 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was named after Chang'an (today's Xi'an in Shaanxi Province), a metropolis in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

English Name: Chang’an Avenue in Beijing
Type: Beijing Scenic Area, Beijing famous spots & Beijing attractions
Best Time: All Year Around
Recommended Visiting Hours: 2-3 hours

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Why is Chang’an Avenue so Special?

As the east-west axis of Beijing, Chang ‘an Avenue in a narrow sense extends from Dongdan to Xidan. In the past, it was called ten miles Chang Jie, which means ten miles long streets (about 3.1 miles). However, in a broader sense, it extends from Tongzhou District to Shijingshan District, with a total length of 28.6 miles (46 kilometers). The width of this street ranges from 197 to 394 feet (60 to 120 meters). Chang ‘an Avenue is one of the most important streets in China and was once considered the longest and widest street in the world. This avenue has been expanded several times and now presents a more spectacular sight. Countless towering skyscrapers and brilliant decorative lights, the night view of the streets is a must for all tourists.

Where is Chang’an Avenue?

Chang ‘an Avenue is a major urban road connecting Dongcheng District and Xicheng District in Beijing, China. It is the east-west central axis road that traverses the capital city of China and is also one of the most famous streets in Chinese history.

Main Attraction of Chang’an Avenue

The symbol of China, Tian ‘anmen Tower and Tian ‘anmen Square, stand opposite each other in the middle of Chang ‘an Avenue, dividing Chang ‘an Avenue into West Chang ‘an Avenue and East Chang ‘an Avenue. Not far from Tiananmen Tower are the Great Hall of the People, Zhongnanhai, the Ministry of Public Security and other central government agencies. Famous cultural facilities, such as China National Museum, Forbidden City, Zhongshan Park, Labor People’s Cultural Palace, National Performing Arts Center and Beijing Concert Hall, are dotted on both sides of the street. The main commercial streets in Beijing, such as Wangfujing, Xidan and Dongdan, are scattered on Chang ‘an Avenue. In addition, Beijing Railway Station and West Railway Station are both located near this street and easily accessible.

Because of its political significance, Chang ‘an Avenue is often associated with many historical events. Whenever there is an activity to be held there, the street will be elaborately decorated. It witnessed the founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Later in 1976, after the death of former premier Zhou Enlai, thousands of Beijing residents took away his hearse on this street. In addition, streets are places for military parades. In recent decades, military parades are usually held every ten years, on October 1, China’s National Day. On that day, an orderly procession marched from east to west along the main road, past the Tiananmen Tower to celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic of China and show the world the developing military power. On September 3, 2015, a special military parade was held in this street to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the world anti-fascist war and China’s anti-japanese war.

Best Time to Travel Chang’an Avenue

September and October are the best travel times.

Autumn is the most beautiful season in Beijing. As autumn grows stronger, the leaves of various trees are still fresh green, some are beginning to yellow, and some are brilliant red and flowery. Around October, the red leaves of Xiangshan Mountain became more and more red and more colorful. People who climbed the mountain to admire the red leaves came in an endless stream. In the morning after the autumn rain, the air was clear and clear.

How to Get There

Subway Line 1 runs under the Chang’an Avenue, with stations including Xidan, Tiananmen West, Tiananmen East, Wangfujing, and Dongdan. You can also take Subway Line 4 to Xidan or Line 5 to Dongdan.