This is the dramatic moment an iconic Chinese temple was demolished.

The Wenhua Tower in Sichuan, China, was built in 2001 by Communist chiefs as a cultural landmark in 2003 before being given protection as a historical building.

But an earthquake weakened the foundations in 2008 and it had been closed for the previous decade.

The 24-year-old- building was finally demolished on August 23 with the use of explosives - sending bricks crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust.

A spokesman for the Yingshan County People's Government said: 'This was a D-level dangerous building. This year we commissioned a third-party agency to conduct an appraisal and we became concerned with the welfare of the people who walk through the grounds of the park. The decision was taken to demolish the structure.'

In 2001, the Yingshan County People's Government decided to develop Cuiping Mountain into a cultural park and construct a tower at its summit as a landmark for the county.

The structure was oriented from east to west, featuring nine octagonal levels, standing 56 meters (approximately 184 feet) tall. A set of 36 steps led directly to the entrance of the building.