Photo:Li Hao/GT

Tourists have hailed the reopening of the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan, the city's last top attraction to reopen after being closed for nearly 100 days during the coronavirus pandemic, as a strong sign the city has been reborn after the devastation caused by the disease.

Huanghelou, also known as the Yellow Crane Tower, is a city landmark and 5A tourist destination which reopened on Wednesday with a maximum visitor capacity of 5,400, only a tenth of normal capacity, the Global Times learned. 

A small ceremony was held on Wednesday morning, inviting 12 representatives from medical staff, volunteer groups, police and residential community committees, who had made great contributions to helping the city battle COVID-19. 

Representatives rang the tower's bell nine times, expressing their wishes for the deceased to rest in peace and for survivors to live healthy and prosperous lives.

After being closed for 98 days, staff members told the Global Times that ticket prices to the Yellow Crane Tower park would be sold at a reduced rate of 60 yuan ($8.47). 

In a symbol of good luck, two people clang the bell at Wednesday's reopening ceremony of Huanghelou, or Yellow Crane Tower, a Wuhan landmark which had been closed for 98 days due to the coronavirus. The tourist spot has put measures in place to control crowds and ensure visitor safety. Photo: Li Hao/GT

"Today I came here to witness this historic moment," said a senior surnamed Zhang, one of the first to enter. He told the Global Times that it has been 38 years since he first visited the monument, one of the symbols of Wuhan.  

There have been so many historic moments in Wuhan lately, such as the lifting of the lockdown and the number of hospitalized patients being reduced to zero, according to Zhang. "The city has been reborn after the coronavirus."

Before guests are allowed to enter the park, they must scan their health QR codes at the main entrance and have their temperatures taken. Visitors will be required to wear face masks and must behave in an orderly manner. They have been instructed to avoid gathering and to maintain a one-meter minimum distance from one another. 

Wuhan is home to 12 5A tourist attractions, and the Yellow Crane Tower was the last to announce its reopening. Currently, 266 out of 421 attractions in Hubei Province are open to the public. 


Newspaper headline: Landmark tower opens in Wuhan after 98-day hiatus