A team of three Chinese Lego fans have pieced together a model of the Old Summer Palace, or Yuanmingyuan, at their studio in Beijing. The incomplete artwork has required some 660,000 pieces of Lego. The team has spent over 300,000 yuan and more than six months on their work so far. Upon completion, the Old Summer Palace on Lego is expected to be displayed at the Yuanmingyuan Park in Beijing. (Photo/Courtesy of Liu Yang)
The Old Summer Palace was the main imperial residence during the Qing dynasty. It was treated as an architectural wonder, known for its wide collection of garden, its architecture and numerous art treasures, but it was destroyed in 1860 by British and French troops during the Second Opium War.