Beijing started Wednesday the renovation project of the Monument to the People's Heroes in the Tian'anmen Square, according to the administrative committee of Tian'anmen district.

This renovation is aimed at repairing leaks in the cellar of the monument and remedy the cracks spotted in the base of the monument,

The renovation will last three months and all visiting activities will be suspended during the period, the committee said.

A sum of 3 million yuan (375,000 U.S. dollars) might be needed for the project, according to Liu Zhongping, designer of the renovation plan.

The Monument to the People's Heroes, erected in memory of China's wartime heroes, was completed in 1958 and stands 37.94 meters high. It was made of 17,000 blocks of granite and white marble.

The monument was listed among the first group of key cultural projects under state-level protection by the State Council on March 4, 1961.

Source: Xinhua