A Section of an ancient city wall in Jiading District opened to the public yesterday following renovations.

The wall is close to the ancient canals that surround the central township of Jiading District.

There is a platform on the wall that visitors can climb on to get an impressive view of the old township.

"The ancient wall in Jiading is an important historic witness to the city's development," said Qian Zonghao, a researcher at the Shanghai History Museum.

The wall is 240 meters long and dates back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

Over the past two years, the Jiading District government has invested more than 800,000 yuan (US$98,765) to give a face-lift to the ancient wall.

The wall was accidentally found by a retired resident in 1998 when a paper factory was being relocated.

Old Chinese cities, including Shanghai, were surrounded by walls for protection.

However, most of them were eliminated prior to the 1960s because they hampered economic development and were inconvenient.

At present, the wall has become a free scenic attraction and the district is planning to revitalize the old part of the district into a sightseeing park.

Jiading District is known for its abundant history and conserved ancient constructions, particularly the Confucius Temple in the central district.

In downtown, only a 50-meter-long stretch of the ancient city wall, called Dajingge, remains as a historic reminder.

It is located in the hustling Huangpu District, near Yuyuan Garden.

The wall was first built in 1553 by Ming Dynasty officials to protect the city from invaders. It has already been listed as a cultural relic under municipal protection.

In 1292, the then central Chinese government approved the establishment of Shanghai County, which is widely deemed as the official founding of the city of Shanghai.

(Shanghai Daily April 1, 2006)