China to Limit Forbidden City
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Chinese authorities plan to reduce the number of visitors allowed into Beijing’s landmark Forbidden City.
A visit to the Forbidden City should be a special occasion, Culture Minister Wang Meng said. “The atmosphere is destroyed by hordes of pushy tourists wandering aimlessly around the giant complex as though it were a normal tourist attraction.”
Wang added that lack of protective measures had led to the destruction of old trees and damage to priceless artifacts.
Last summer as many as 100,000 people visited the compound on peak days. The Forbidden City is the second most popular tourist sight in China after the Great Wall.
Because of the crowds, Wang said, officials will start admitting fewer visitors per day.
In addition, the palaces, gardens, courtyards and gateways will be divided into individual zones with separate entry charges.
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