Reconstruction of the Grass Mountain Chateau, the first official residence in Taiwan of dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), began yesterday. The chateau is scheduled to reopen to the public next year.
The structure was seriously damaged by a fire two years ago, causing an estimated NT$36 million (US$1 million) in damage, as it burned down the main exhibition hall and its exhibits.
Hu Chong-hsiung (胡忠雄), the reconstruction project’s chief architect, said he would base reconstruction work on the original design of the chateau.
All the exhibits inside the chateau — including clothes, pictures and documents belonging to Chiang and his wife, Soong Mayling (宋美齡) — would be remade, he said.
Hu said the repairs team obtained photos of the chateau from the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) party history center, and would seek to recover the original blueprint of the building.
The reconstruction would be complete in 280 work days, with the chateau scheduled to reopen to the public in April next year, he said.
Taipei City’s Department of Cultural Affairs said the department planned to turn the reconstructed chateau into a major cultural spot to attract local and foreign tourists.
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