Restoration of 3 Tibetan cultural relic sites to be completed this year

[MITTibetForum]

http://eng.tibet.cn/news/today/200904/t20090423_471885.htm
Since the beginning of April, 2009, the last batches of projects for maintaining the three cultural relics (the Potala Palace, the Norbu Lingka and the Sagya Monastery) in the Tibet Autonomous Region have started construction.

As a large maintenance item supported by the central government with an investment of over 300 million yuan, the maintenance work has lasted for 7 years since 2002. Up to now, most of the maintenance work has been finished.

According to Nyima Tsering, principal of the leading group for the maintenance work, this year 16 projects with a total investment of 104.71 million yuan are to be allocated and now 6 out of all have kicked off while the remaining will start in succession.

The 6 ongoing projects are safety & fire control systems and drainage & electric power systems for the three places: the Potala Palace costs 26.1 million yuan; the Norbu Lingka costs 18.63 million yuan and the Sagya Monastery costs 19.39 million yuan.

The Potala Palace was built in the seventh century and was listed as a "World Cultural Heritage". Norbu Lingka was built in 1751 and it is the best-preserved garden architecture with the largest scale and the highest altitude in the world. Boasting a lot of scripture books and rare cultural relics, the Sagya Monastery is the key temple for Sagya Sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

As planned formerly, all the maintenance work was expected to finish in June, 2007. However, uncertain factors of ancient architectures led the completion time prolonged.

The department in charge expresses that all the work is hopeful to finish by the end of this year.

The 16 remaining projects include thunder prevention projects, waterproof project in the center of Norbu Lingka Lake, environmental renovation in some sections, the Yangma Rampart project as well as dormitory maintenance for monks in the Sagya Monastery.

(1 USD equals about 6.83 yuan.)

[swifly]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/23/content_11243975.htm
LHASA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Restoration work at three major cultural relic sites in Tibet will be completed this year, said a local official Wednesday.

With an investment of 300 million yuan (about 44 million U.S. dollars), the government has carried out restoration work at Potala Palace, Norbulinka, the world's highest garden architectural structure and the former summer palace of the Dalai Lama, and the Sayga Monastery, the chief monastery of the Sayga Sect of Tibetan Buddhism.


Photo taken on March 21, 2009, shows Tibetan workers repairing the fence wall of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua Photo)
The renovation began in 2002. Of 166 projects at the three sites, 150 have already been completed. The final 16 are scheduled for completion this year, said Nyima Cering, who is in charge of the repair work.

Potala Palace and Norbulinka are on the world cultural heritage list. Polata Palace was built in the 7th century. The Sayga Monastery is a protected national heritage site.

The final 16 projects will cost 104.71 million yuan (about 15.33 million U.S. dollars). They include maintenance of the original headquarters of the Tibetan army at the foot of Potala Palace, plumbing and water-proof project at the Norbulinka and the repair of the wall and quarters in the Sayga Monastery.

Construction on the six projects began in April, said Nyima Cering.

China has vowed to make heritage protection a priority since it became a member of UNESCO's cultural heritage protection convention in 1989.