Beijing digs new depth in Olympic legacy
Beijing, Feb 12 (IANS) The newly updated corridor on the roof of Beijing’s iconic “Bird’s Nest” has been open to the public which enables tourists to overlook the Chinese capital on the highest point of the 2008 Olympics main stadium.
The corridor, extended to 1,000 metres from some 200 metres, is made of stainless steel and runs all across the roof from south to north with a stopping point at the west end of the roof where is the highest point of the stadium at 69 metres, reports Xinhua news agency.
On the roof, one can stand on the huge steel beams which are woven into a gigantic nest-like structure. It earns the stadium the nickname “Bird’s Nest”, and offers a stunning view that includes Beijing Olympics aquatic center “Water Cube”, Linglong tower for broadcasting during the Games, the dragon-shaped river as well as various highrises.
As one of the Beijing Olympics’ most famous legacies, Bird’s Nest has become an important tourist destination in Beijing, hosts international soccer matches and concerts.
And it staged an ice and snow festival during winter, that has attracted 200,000 people in 2016, according to the statistics from the stadium.
“We are trying very hard to tap on the potential of this particular Olympic legacy and exploring new ways to maintain the stadium,” said the stadium’s Planning Manager Shi Lei.
“Our goal is to have diversity in our business and run the stadium in a sustainable way.”