A new post office in the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, began service on Tuesday,says the Beijing Municipal Postal Bureau.

It is the first post office that has ever been built inside a scenic site.

The post office is situated to the west of Kunning Gate, one ofthe must-see spots on a visit to the former Imperial Palace. The branch sells over 100 kinds of stamps, envelopes and postcards, and offers services, including domestic and overseas mail, remittances, and packaging.

An ATM outlet will also be installed at the office.

An official with the Beijing Municipal Postal Bureau said the appearance of the post office in the Forbidden City was an attemptby the postal sector and the tourism industry to seek common development.

The Palace Museum is situated immediately behind Tian'anmen Rostrum at the center of Beijing. From the mid-14th to the early 20th centuries the palace housed 24 emperors, from the Ming (1368-1644) through to the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

It attracts over 7 million visitors annually with its magnificent architecture and precious collections of cultural and art objects.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2003)