Beijing: China will open more sections of its iconic Great Wall to accommodate an increasing number of visitors for one of the world`s most famous tourist attractions, official media reported on Saturday.
Beijing administration will open the Great Wall sections of Huanghuacheng and Hefangkou and further extend the lengths of Mutianyu and Badaling sections open to tourists, said Kong Fanzhi, chief of the city`s cultural relics bureau. However, Kong did not give any specific dates.
Kong said the move was aimed at reducing the load on Great Wall sections that are currently open to tourists in Beijing, such as Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai and Juyongguan.
"These Great Wall sections are overloaded on weekends and holidays," Kong said, adding some people have climbed the closed sections of the Great Wall, which has also damaged the national cultural heritage.
The 21,196 kilometres of Great Wall in China were built by many dynasties starting 2,200 years ago, according to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.
Among all the sections, a 600-km section lies in Beijing, most of which has been preserved in good condition, said Wang Yuwei, another official with the bureau.
Wang said new sections were also found covered in bush or blocked behind higher walls during the survey.
The city is building a Great Wall database, which will be open to the public, according to Wang.
PTI
