On the move: historic Chinese building saved from bulldozer by sliding 90m on rails to new home

China society

Kathy Gao

Published: 1:34pm, 10 Mar 2016

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A 100-year-old three-storey Chinese building is on the move – to a new site more than 90 metres away – so its original location can be redeveloped, mainland media reports.

The red brick and wood building – recognised as an historic site by the city of Wuhan, in Hubei province, in 2011 – has already been lifted 1.4 metres off the ground and will be slowly guided to its new resting place on top of six concrete rails, the news website Qq.com and China National Radio both reported on Thursday.

Six large concrete rails have been built to guide the structure to its new resting place in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Photo: Qq.com

This is the first time that an historic building has been moved in the city, the reports said.

The building – constructed early in the 20th century by a local firefighting organisation, has been carefully covered in a framework of wood and scaffolding.

The building has been raised 1.4 metres off the ground and now sits on a new steel and concrete base. Photo: Qq.com Available.

A steel and concrete base has also been built to ensure that no damage to the structure takes place during the move.

Preparation work is still going on and it is unclear when the building will be moved.

The building was constructed during the days of the Republic of China, which lasted from 1912 – following the end of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) – until 1949, and was taken over by Wuhan fire service after the founding of People’s Republic of China in 1949.

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