The graphics shows some facts and the route of the 2008 Olympic Games torch relay in Beijing. The torch relay in Beijing began on August 6 and end on August 8 as the final leg of the 2008 Olympic torch relay around the world. (Xinhua/Meng Lijing) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- After the Olympic flame passed southwestern Sichuan Province and arrived in the capital, the Beijing torch relay starts here on Wednesday.

    On the first of its three-day relay in Beijing, the torch will travel through seven districts, starting from the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, passing the Tian'anmen gate, the golden-river bridge, the National Center for the Performing Arts, the Great Hall of the People, the Tian'anmen Square, North Tucheng intersection, Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park, Fengtai Headquarters Base, the Niujie Street and the Arrow Tower of the Front Gate in Chongwen District, and ending in the Temple of Heaven.

    Below are some introductions of the scenic spots along the route.

    Tian'anmen Gate: Listed by UNESCO among "world heritage," it is the main gate of the Imperial Palace. Tian'anmen gate is 34.7 meters tall, and composed of a 13-meter-high platform and a tower that sits on it. It has witnessed many important events in China's modern history, such as the founding of the People's Republic of China.

    Golden-river bridge: The seven exquisitely adorned bridges of white marble that span the Gold River before the Tian'anmen Gate. The one in the middle, wider than the others, was reserved for the emperor.

    The National Center for the Performing Arts: Located to the west of the Great Hall of the People, the egg-shaped modern architecture is surrounded by water. It houses three main performance venues -- the Opera House, the Concert Hall and the Theater.

    The Great Hall of the People: Standing to the west of the Tian'anmen Square, it is the place where the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, annual sessions are held.

    The Tian'anmen Square: Located in central Beijing, the square is 880 meters long and 500 meters wide, covering a total area of 440,000 square meters. Flag raising and lowering ceremonies are held here everyday at dawn and dusk. In the middle of it stands the Monument to People's Heroes.

    Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park: Located in the Shijingshan District, the park combines beautiful natural scenery and huge amusement facilities such as the launch tower and the roller coaster.

    The Niujie Street: With the largest Muslim community in the Chinese capital, it has one of the oldest and best preserved mosques in China, which dates back to 996 AD in Liao Dynasty.

    The Arrow Tower of the Front Gate: Standing at the south end of Tian'anmen Square, the Front Gate, or Qianmen Gate forms the main entrance to the Inner City.

    The Temple of Heaven: It is the place where the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worship Heaven and pray for bumper harvests. The northern part of the outer surrounding wall is semi-circular in shape while the southern part is square, forming a pattern symbolic of the ancient belief that Heaven is round and the earth square.

    Distance on its first-day relay: 16.4 km Time: 4 hours 16 minutes Number of torchbearers: 433