Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Cultural Heritage in Mianyang City

This study examines 4811 immovable cultural heritage sites in Mianyang City to address how these sites are spatially clustered, how their distribution varies across historical periods and heritage types, and how the observed spatial patterns are associated with selected natural-environmental conditions. The main objective is to identify the spatial distribution, spatiotemporal evolution, and site-selection characteristics of immovable cultural heritage sites in Mianyang and to provide an environmental and spatial basis for heritage conservation and territorial management. Using ArcGIS-based spatial analysis, this study applies average nearest neighbor analysis, kernel density estimation, standard deviational ellipse analysis, mean center analysis, spatial overlay statistics, and GeoDetector. The explanatory analysis focuses on three natural-environmental variables: elevation, slope, and distance to rivers. The results show that: (1) The sites are widely distributed and exhibit multi-core clustering, with dense concentrations in the south and central-east and sparse distribution in the northwest; (2) their spatiotemporal evolution follows an alternating “agglomeration–diffusion–re-agglomeration” pattern, with the centroid shifting along the middle and lower Fujiang River valley; and (3) the sites are mainly concentrated in low-elevation, gently sloping, water-adjacent river-valley plains and shallow hilly terraces. These findings provide a partial environmental interpretation of the spatial distribution of immovable cultural heritage sites in Mianyang and offer exploratory evidence for identifying priority conservation areas, supporting conceptual heritage-corridor planning, and promoting sustainable heritage management. The study also suggests that future research should further integrate historical transportation networks, administrative centers, population migration, economic activities, religious landscapes, and military-political contexts to explain the broader cultural landscape processes behind heritage distribution.