A large-scale repair project of along-the-street historical architecture in the old city of Beijing was launched on May 20 by the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage after a few months' preparation, the municipal government said on Thursday.

Workers repairs the gate at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, May 25. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The project, which corresponds to Beijing's Central Axis application for UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage, involves the restoration of nearly 50 cultural relic sites on different historical streets in the old city.

"It is the widest and largest-scale repair project this year," says Kong Fanzhi, director of Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage.

Kong said the administration funds the project to preserve the style and features of historical architecture, and has gradually built a four-level historical and cultural city protection system for valuable architecture, cultural relic protection sites, historical and cultural streets, and historical and cultural city.