Replica palace loses out to real thing
By Ni Yinbin |
March 24, 2013, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A REPLICA of a 2,200-year-old palace that is a tourist attraction in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, is to be demolished - because it's built on the site of the genuine historical building, authorities have said.
All stores and vendors in the Epang Palace scenic area on Hongguang Road in the ancient city have been shut down and the tourist attraction, which opened 13 years ago, is closed, reported the central government website (china.com.cn).
The demolition is part of a protection plan for the ruins of the original Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) Epang Palace. Work started in 212 BC but it was never completed as the Qin Dynasty soon fell.
Construction of the Epang Palace scenic area, based on the structure, started in 1995. It took five years and 200 million yuan (US$32 million) for the 453,333-square-meter project to be completed.
The modern-day Epang Palace attracted 500,000 tourists a year and provided a backdrop to many movies.
The complex became one of the city's top attractions, said Lei Yingkui, chairman of the board of the tourism development company behind the attraction site.
However, a demolition notice last May heralded its decline. "It could be torn down any time and no one has the mood to operate it," Lei told the website.
Lei's company had to lay off 250 of 350 staff. Dancers who had performed for 13 years and tours guides were dismissed.
"We've been here for 18 years since construction began," Lei added. "We didn't want to move."
Lei said the company is negotiating to obtain a new site and rebuild the attraction.
City officials said the attraction was in the protection zone and had not been built according to regulations.
According to the protection plan, a new archeological site park and urban forest park will be built around the core area of the original ruins by 2015.
The new 2.3-square-kilometer park should restore the nature of the original Epang Palace according to ancient books, said officials.
The new park is to open to the public in July 2015.
All stores and vendors in the Epang Palace scenic area on Hongguang Road in the ancient city have been shut down and the tourist attraction, which opened 13 years ago, is closed, reported the central government website (china.com.cn).
The demolition is part of a protection plan for the ruins of the original Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) Epang Palace. Work started in 212 BC but it was never completed as the Qin Dynasty soon fell.
Construction of the Epang Palace scenic area, based on the structure, started in 1995. It took five years and 200 million yuan (US$32 million) for the 453,333-square-meter project to be completed.
The modern-day Epang Palace attracted 500,000 tourists a year and provided a backdrop to many movies.
The complex became one of the city's top attractions, said Lei Yingkui, chairman of the board of the tourism development company behind the attraction site.
However, a demolition notice last May heralded its decline. "It could be torn down any time and no one has the mood to operate it," Lei told the website.
Lei's company had to lay off 250 of 350 staff. Dancers who had performed for 13 years and tours guides were dismissed.
"We've been here for 18 years since construction began," Lei added. "We didn't want to move."
Lei said the company is negotiating to obtain a new site and rebuild the attraction.
City officials said the attraction was in the protection zone and had not been built according to regulations.
According to the protection plan, a new archeological site park and urban forest park will be built around the core area of the original ruins by 2015.
The new 2.3-square-kilometer park should restore the nature of the original Epang Palace according to ancient books, said officials.
The new park is to open to the public in July 2015.
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