# Stone fortress built illegally on top of Chinese skyscraper **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 13, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144 "2013-08-13T17:55:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/1 "2013-08-13T17:55:20Z")
> **[Stone fortress illegally built atop Beijing skyscraper](https://www.theverge.com/2013/8/13/4616798/illegal-rooftop-mansion-beijing-china)** > > The Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts. Just look at the size of that thing. Apparently a professor built it over six years moving tons of rock and foliage without getting planning permission. Such a gloriously crazy structure, you almost feel sad it has to be pulled down. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/2 "2013-08-13T18:10:02Z")
Did he also ship in some stone statues from Scotland? ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/3 "2013-08-13T18:14:03Z")
If that is a real picture (and I have my doubts) there is no way the structure was designed to hold that much weight. The dead load of that much stone would easily surpass the design loads used for this type of a building. So unless I see multiple shots and sources I am calling bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/4 "2013-08-13T18:18:15Z")
[This article](http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/13/world/asia/china-rock-villa/index.html?iref=allsearch) says the rocks are fake. Seems likely to me, since it says they were brought up in the elevators. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/5 "2013-08-13T18:25:22Z")
> [@Running\_with\_Scissors](#): > > [This article](http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/13/world/asia/china-rock-villa/index.html?iref=allsearch) says the rocks are fake. Seems likely to me, since it says they were brought up in the elevators. That I would buy! ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/6 "2013-08-13T18:30:30Z")
How could something that big go up unnoticed? ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/7 "2013-08-13T18:32:43Z")
More than likely officials looked the other way because he was politically connected. They’re only starting to crack down now because it’s gotten national attention. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/8 "2013-08-13T19:12:36Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXzLFzL5NIY) A brief video. I wonder if something like this could be built for real for a billionaire somewhere. I am sure with the right material and design it could be made safe so why not ? Would make an interesting urban landmark too. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/9 "2013-08-13T19:25:10Z")
Based on pictures of the building, I think I have found it on aerial photos. The imagery is clearest on [Bing](http://binged.it/13WygPZ). Looks to me like the garden/fortress is on the bottom right of the group of four buildings. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/10 "2013-08-13T20:20:35Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Did he also ship in some stone statues from Scotland? 😃 Maybe he has a rival with a flying fortress. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/11 "2013-08-13T21:08:25Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Did he also ship in some stone statues from Scotland? > [@Balance](#): > > 😃 > Maybe he has a rival with a flying fortress. I’ve heard the man speak, and he sounds shockingly similar to Jonathan Frakes. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/12 "2013-08-13T21:38:16Z")
> [@Running\_with\_Scissors](#): > > [This article](http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/13/world/asia/china-rock-villa/index.html?iref=allsearch) says the rocks are fake. Seems likely to me, since it says they were brought up in the elevators. It’s the Ultimate Couch Pillow Fort! ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/13 "2013-08-13T21:56:48Z")
The dissonance between the natural beauty of this contrived structure and the westernised skyscraper crap it rests upon is shocking. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/14 "2013-08-14T03:28:47Z")
Poor guy just wanted his own lair to hang out in, what’s an evil genius meant to do when all the land is taken! ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stone-fortress-built-illegally-on-top-of-chinese-skyscraper/666144/15 "2013-08-14T13:31:34Z")
It’s obvious that if you add about three extra stories of garbage to a tall building you are going to find yourself in trouble. But if it checks out to be structurally sound they should let it be. It’s probably the coolest thing in the neighborhood.