Forbidden City is becoming more open
By Wang Xiang |
August 20, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Forbidden City in Beijing will be revealing more of its secrets.
Authorities will open 70 percent of the Forbidden City to the public after a large-scale overhaul is finished in 2020. Visitors have access to only 30 percent of the imperial palace now, Beijing Morning Post said yesterday, citing Shan Jixiang, head of the Administration of Cultural Heritage.
Ticket prices will not rise. Larger touring areas could ease crowding in the palace during busy seasons, Shan said.
"The opened area in the Forbidden City has a capacity to afford to accommodate 30,000 visitors every day, but the number of tourists could surge to 130,000 in the busy seasons," Shan said. "The expansion of tourist area could greatly reduce the pressure."
Visitors to the Forbidden City have increased about 33 percent since 2002. In 2009 alone, 10 million visitors went through the palace.
Despite the expansion, Shan said the cultural heritage administration hasn't considered raising ticket prices.
Although opened as public museum since 1925, most parts of the royal palace used by China's Ming and Qing dynasties have never been visited by tourists before.
Some of the buildings are occupied by academic institutes and the expansion project will move these institutes out of the palace, Shan said.
Repairs and renovation to the Forbidden City have been constant since the palace was opened to public.
Authorities will open 70 percent of the Forbidden City to the public after a large-scale overhaul is finished in 2020. Visitors have access to only 30 percent of the imperial palace now, Beijing Morning Post said yesterday, citing Shan Jixiang, head of the Administration of Cultural Heritage.
Ticket prices will not rise. Larger touring areas could ease crowding in the palace during busy seasons, Shan said.
"The opened area in the Forbidden City has a capacity to afford to accommodate 30,000 visitors every day, but the number of tourists could surge to 130,000 in the busy seasons," Shan said. "The expansion of tourist area could greatly reduce the pressure."
Visitors to the Forbidden City have increased about 33 percent since 2002. In 2009 alone, 10 million visitors went through the palace.
Despite the expansion, Shan said the cultural heritage administration hasn't considered raising ticket prices.
Although opened as public museum since 1925, most parts of the royal palace used by China's Ming and Qing dynasties have never been visited by tourists before.
Some of the buildings are occupied by academic institutes and the expansion project will move these institutes out of the palace, Shan said.
Repairs and renovation to the Forbidden City have been constant since the palace was opened to public.
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