Forbidden City

A testament to grandiosity, there are few sights in the world that will take your breath away, let alone live up to their reputation. The vast complex of temples and imperial buildings in the Forbidden City is one such place.

Passing through its Tian'anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) to the south, you may well be stopped in your tracks as the sheer scale of the Forbidden City strikes you. Located in the very centre of Beijing, it is China's largest and best-preserved set of ancient buildings. In 1406, during the reign of the third Ming emperor, Yong Le, large-scale construction of the Forbidden City began. The construction took 14 years to complete. In 1421, after a renovation of the Grand Canal, the capital of the Ming Dynasty was officially moved from Nanjing to Beijing. For 491 years, spanning two dynasties and 24 emperors, the complex served as the Imperial Palace. In 1925, it was converted into the Palace Museum and was opened to the public.

The Forbidden City is divided into two main parts: the Outer Court and the Inner Palace. The Outer Court consists of three main buildings where the emperors attended grand ceremonies and conducted state affairs. The Inner Palace is composed of three main buildings to the north and the six eastern and western palaces. This is where the emperor conducted his daily affairs, alongside his living quarters and those of the empress and the imperial concubines.

The Forbidden City is the best-preserved imperial palace in China and the largest ancient palatial structure in the world. In 1987, it was listed as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) World Cultural Heritage Site. The Palace Museum holds a great number of historical and cultural relics as well as many precious works of art.

 

Forbidden City Attractions

Central Line

Wumen (Meridian Gate)

Taihemen (Gate of Supreme Harmony)

Taihedian (Hall of Supreme Harmony)

Zhonghedian (The Hall of Central Harmony)

Baohedian (Hall of Preserved Harmony)

Qianqinggong (Palace of Celestial Purity)

Qianqingmen (Gate of Celestial Purity)

Jiaotaidian (Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union)

Yuhuayuan (Imperial Garden)

Kunninggong (Palace of Terrestrial Tranquillity)

East Line

Ningshougong (Palace of Tranquil Longevity)

Fengxiandian (Hall for Ancestry Worship)

West Line

Yangxingdian (Hall of Temper Cultivation)

Changchungong (Palace of Eternal Spring)

Taijidian (Hall of the Supreme Pole)

Chuxiugong (Palace for Gathering Elegance)  

 

4, Jingshan Qianjie, Dongcheng District

+86 10 6513 2255

8:30 a.m.? p.m., (April 16-October 15)

8:30 a.m.?:30 p.m., (October 16-April 15)

November 1-March 31, 40 yuan, April 1-October 31, 60 yuan

Tian'anmen Xi (West) or Tian'anmen Dong (East) Station;

Buses: 1, 2, 4, 5, 52, 101, 103, 728, 826