TheDongcheng District,literally "east city district"ofBeijing,covers the eastern half of Beijing's urban core, the Old City. Its 40.6km2(15.7sqmi) area, further subdivided into 17 subdistricts, includes all that section of the Old City inside the2nd Ring Roadwith some areas outside, even crossing the3rd Ring Roadat its northernmost extent. The district's population was 535,558 as of China's 2000 Census.
Dongcheng includes many of Beijing's major cultural attractions, such as theForbidden CityandTemple of Heaven, both UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites. More than a quarter of the city'sMajor National Historical and Cultural Sitesare inside its boundaries, with a similar percentage of those protected at the municipal level.Tiananmen Squareis also in Dongcheng, along with other popular destinations fordomestic and international touristssuch as the bars and nightlife in thehutongs of Nanluogoxiang and the shopping inWangfujing.