The Forbidden City is currently undergoing its most major renovation in over 65 years. The restoration project began on Saturday and is being conducted in order to preserve and protect the 600-year-old walls of the historic structure, Global Times reports.
The restoration will focus on the outer walls of the Forbidden City, which are reportedly in very poor condition. According to Shan Jixiang, a museum curator, the walls are made up of crumbling and fractured bricks and are being heavily damaged by subsidence. Some areas are in such a dire state that they are at risk of collapsing during heavy rainfall, Shan said.
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The complex called Xihuamen is one of the most at-risk portions of the wall. Restorations have already begun on the 233-meter portion of the wall. Xihuamen has been repaired numerous times in the past 60 years. However, this area of the Forbidden City was found to be badly damaged, yet again, in 2014.
The restoration of the Forbidden City’s walls will follow very strict guidelines. Restoration experts will first use a radar to survey the walls. Damaged bricks will then be replaced, the foundation issues will be fixed and the wall will then be coated with a protective waterproof layer.
During the restorations, work will also be conducted to fix the Forbidden City’s dated plumbing and heating systems.
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