More than 600 years ago, Zhu Yuanzhang built a city gate in front of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum to guard his imperial tomb, which was called “Fangcheng Minglou”. Fangcheng and Minglou are innovative buildings of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. Fangcheng is a large building in front of the Baoding. Minglou is built on top of Fangcheng and is the highest point of the buildings in Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. Unfortunately, during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period in the late Qing Dynasty, a war burned down the roof of Minglou, leaving only the four walls of this existing large-scale architectural relic in Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum.
Rainwater continuously erodes downward along the damaged walls without the shelter of the roof. In order to protect this world cultural heritage, Fangcheng was rebuilt with a new roof and presented itself brand new. With vermilion walls and yellow tiles symbolizing the royal family, a Minglou with the same grandeur as in the past stands up in Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. It is hoped that its existence can enable more people to feel the former glory of Zhu Yuanzhang’s mausoleum. It is open from 08:30 to 17:00 throughout the year.Ming Tower
More than 600 years ago, Zhu Yuanzhang built a city gate in front of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum to guar[...]
