Xanadu
People's Republic of China · Asia
About
Shangdu (Chinese: 上都; pinyin: Shàngdū; lit. "Upper Capital"; Mongolian: Шанду), known in the West as Xanadu, was the summer capital of the Yuan dynasty. Located in what is now Zhenglan Banner, Inner Mongolia, it was designed by Chinese architect Liu Bingzhong and served as a seasonal retreat blending Mongolian steppe traditions with Chinese urban planning. The site gained legendary status after it was visited by Marco Polo and later inspired the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
In 2012, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical significance. A railway is under construction from Beijing to Zhenglan Banner and will open in 2026.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.