  Old Town of Lijiang, China
Lijiang is a city in Yunnan Province, China. The city has a population of about 1.14 million people, as of 2005. Its old town, which has a history going back more than 800 years, was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 21st session of the World Heritage Committee in Naples, Italy, on 1-6 December, 1997.
The Outstanding Universal Value of the Old Town of Lijiang lies in it being an ancient town that is set in a dramatic landscape. The Old Town of Lijiang represents a harmonious fusion of different cultural traditions, producing an urban landscape of remarkable quality.
Despite an uneven topography, the Old Town of Lijiang managed to blend elements of several cultures, and even run a complex water supply system that is in use until today.
Photos of Old Town of Lijiang
Canal in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China
Author: Luis Franco (Creative Commons Attribution 2.1 Spain)
Roofs of heritage houses, Lijiang, China
Author: BrokenSphere (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Streetscape of Lijiang, China
Author: BrokenSphere (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
World Heritage Site Inscription Details
Location: N 26 52 E 100 14
Inscription Year: 1997
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, IV, V
Location Map
View Lijiang, Yunnan in a larger map
Visiting Old Town of Lijiang
You enter Yunnan from its main city, Kunming. Lijiang is about 527 km (316 miles) to the northwest of Kunming. You can take a train to Lijiang from Kunming.
Exploring Lijiang
Lijiang is best explored on foot. Beware though that the cobblestones may be uneven or slippery.
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