Identification, evaluation, classification of the Chengdu-Chongqing Ancient Road cultural heritage corridor

Identifying and constructing scientifically grounded heritage corridor, followed by systematic evaluation and classification, fragmented linear cultural heritage can be effectively integrated to achieve holistic conservation and sustainable development. Using Chengdu-Chongqing Ancient Road, China, as a case study, this research integrates GIS spatial analysis, the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, and the multiple centrality assessment (MCA) model to establish a comprehensive analytical framework encompassing “spatial identification, hierarchical evaluation, typological classification.” The results show that: (1) The corridor is laid out along rivers and roads, forming an east-west non-closed loop radial structure. (2) The corridor is divided into 50 segments across 5 tiers, with the central region exhibiting high-tier corridors and strong continuity, gradually decreasing toward the eastern and western peripheral areas. (3) Ten corridor types were identified based on heritage clustering characteristics, showing a negative correlation between corridor tier and the degree of type integration.