Objective It is currently imperative to actively promote the systematic conservation of cultural heritage in China and build a comprehensive conservation framework, of which the conservation of historic cities and cultural landscapes is an indispensable and important part. In view of this, it is necessary to provide reference for improving China’s heritage protection and management mechanism by referring to the European concept and mechanism of urban conservation and historic landscape conservation.

Methods/process This research reviews the process of European urban heritage conservation. The historical preservation movement in the late 19th century and early 20th century originated from the rise of the concept of “picturesqueness” and the romantic trend of thought. This movement ranges from the restoration of monuments to the protection of historic character, and from historic texture to historic urban landscape (HUL), including the integrated conservation of European cultural landscape areas.

Results/conclusion This research tries to explore beneficial inspirations and reference points for the conservation and inheritance of China’s urban and rural cultural heritage. In terms of ideological concepts, the research brings innovative breakthroughs into the conservation of historic and cultural cities and the planning and construction of beautiful cities in the new era.