A visit to China is not complete without seeing iconic landmarks such as the Great Wall, Terra Cotta Warriors and the Forbidden City.
South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday that the Palace Museum ordered the destruction of all modern buildings and structures in the area to preserve the ancient character of the landmark. That would mean over the next three years, 14,800 square meters of prefabricated buildings and temporary structures, which are currently used as offices and warehouses, would be torn down, said Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum.
Not leaving a single building of modern construction was ordered so as not to affect the Forbidden City’s ambiance, Shan explained. It would ensure the city would remain intact for the next six centuries.
Shan added that the palace opened 76 percent of its 160,000 square meters of ancient architecture to the public this 2015 with three additional passage. It is up from the 52 percent in 2014 and 65 percent in 2015. He said the percentage would further go up to 80 percent in 2018 and 85 percent by 2025.
The two new passages were along the eastern and western walls of the palace which connected the northern and southern ends on both sides and added two more sightseeing routes to the current north-south axis, reported the Beijing Evening News.
At the other new passage, a 361-metrer glass-walled path which cuts through the 13,000 square-meter studio, visitors could observe the restorers fixing historic artefacts.