The "Marco Polo" Bridge, 15 km southwest of the Beijing

The Lugou Bridge, also known as the Marco Polo Bridge, is a famous stone bridge located 15 km southwest of the Beijing city center across the Yongding River. Situated at the eastern end of the bridge is the Wanping Fortress, a historic 17th century fortress. The Lugou Bridge is well-known because it was highly praised by the Venetian traveler Marco Polo during his visit to China in the 13th century, and for the Marco Polo Bridge incident, which marked the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). (Photo: China.org.cn)