The　research　of　architecture　has　tremendous　significance　in　realizing　quantum　Internet.　Although　there　is　not　yet　a　standard　quantum　Internet　architecture,　the　distributed　architecture　is　one　of　the　possible　solutions,　which　utilizes　quantum　repeaters　or　dedicated　entanglement　sources　in　a　flat　structure　for　entanglement　preparation　&　distribution.　In　this　paper,　we　analyze　the　distributed　architecture　in　detail　and　demonstrate　that　it　has　three　limitations:　1)　possible　high　maintenance　overhead,　2)　possible　low-performance　entanglement　distribution,　and　3)　unable　to　support　optimal　entanglement　routing.　We　design　a　hierarchical　quantum　Internet　architecture　and　a　communication　model　to　solve　the　problems　above.　We　also　present　a　W-state　Based　Centralized　Entanglement　Preparation　&　Distribution　(W-state　Based　CEPD)　scheme　and　a　Centralized　Entanglement　Routing　(CER)　algorithm　within　our　hierarchical　architecture　and　perform　an　experimental　comparison　with　other　entanglement　preparation　&　distribution　schemes　and　entanglement　routing　algorithms　within　the　distributed　architecture.　The　evaluation　results　show　that　the　entanglement　distribution　efficiency　of　hierarchical　architecture　is　11.5%　higher　than　that　of　distributed　architecture　on　average　(minimum　3.3%,　maximum　37.3%),　and　the　entanglement　routing　performance　of　hierarchical　architecture　is　much　better　than　that　of　a　distributed　architecture　according　to　the　fidelity　and　throughput.　©　2024　IEEE.