An Integrated Historical Street Network Analysis Model Based on Spatial Syntax: A Case Study of Beijing’s Capital Core Area (1368–2026)

Traditional space syntax research mainly focuses on the overall topology of street networks, with insufficient attention to street segments and spatial skeletons. To fill this gap, this study innovatively integrates segment and skeleton analysis into space syntax and proposes a multilevel segment–skeleton–network analytical framework. Taking Beijing’s Capital Core Area (CCA) as a case, we analyze its street network evolution, spanning more than 600 years from the Yuan Dadu to the present, based on multi-temporal historical maps and syntactic indicators. The results indicate that main streets and alleys present polarized development; traditional commercial centres gradually decline while maintaining high accessibility; and a distinctive ring-shaped public skeleton centred on the Forbidden City has taken shape. This integrated framework remedies the defects of a single network analysis. The outcomes offer practical implications for the protection and sustainable development of historic street systems.