Beijing Old Summer Palace scale replica opens

Ruins of the Old Summer Palace, Beijing. Image by Bridget Coila / CC BY-SA 2.0

A to-scale replica of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing has opened in Zhejiang province. The 400-hectare New Yuanmingyuan Palace claims to be as large as its Beijing inspiration – the original palace was constructed  in the 18th century and subject to looting by British and French troops during the Second Opium War, which left the palace’s wooden structures burned and the garden in ruins. The Zhejiang replica is located in Hengdian, a town known as the ‘Hollywood of China’, as it is home to numerous film sets, though it is unclear whether the New Yuanmingyuan Palace will serve as a set. Admission currently costs ¥280 (US$45) for entry to the main Spring Court. Read more: chinadaily.com.cn