In 1275, when Italian traveler Marco Polo arrived in Dadu, the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial palace had just been structurally completed, and he bore witness to the rise of a grand eastern metropolis.

“The entire city’s ground plan resembles a chessboard. Its perfection is beyond description,” wrote Marco Polo in his famed travelogue, “The Travels of Marco Polo.”

Although much of Dadu was built over in later eras, its urban planning and layout have endured. Today, traces of its magnificence live on in the Beijing Central Axis and the city’s iconic hutongs.

Centuries have passed, yet Beijing continues to captivate travelers from across the globe. The Marco Polos of our time still marvel at the city’s ancient treasures, while experiencing the energy of a thriving modern capital.