The Beijing Palace Museum – Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is the imperial palace complex at the centre of Beijing, China. Built between 1406 and 1420, it served as the residence of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties and remained the political heart of China for over 500 years, until 1924. Now administered as the Palace Museum, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and is the largest preserved royal palace complex in the world.
At a glance
- Type
- Imperial palace complex and national museum
- Period
- Built 1406–1420 (Ming dynasty); occupied by emperors until 1924
- Style
- Traditional Chinese palatial architecture
- Location
- 4 Jingshan Front St, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100009, China
- Coordinates
- 39.9162° N, 116.3916° E
- UNESCO
- World Heritage Site since 1987
Overview
The Forbidden City stands at the very centre of Beijing, occupying a rectangular area of approximately 72 hectares enclosed by a 10-metre-high wall and a wide moat. It comprises more than 980 surviving buildings with roughly 8,700 rooms, laid out on a strict north–south axis in accordance with classical Chinese cosmological principles. Today the complex is one of the most visited heritage sites on earth, welcoming millions of visitors each year.
History
Construction began in 1406 under the Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty and was substantially complete by 1420, when the imperial court formally moved from Nanjing to Beijing. The complex was repeatedly expanded and rebuilt over the following centuries, with major reconstructions under the Qing dynasty in the 17th and 18th centuries. After the abdication of Puyi in 1912, the last emperor continued to reside in the inner quarters until he was formally expelled in 1924 and the palace was opened to the public as a museum the following year.
What you see
Visitors enter through the Meridian Gate (Wumen) to the south and move through a sequence of grand ceremonial courtyards. The Outer Court contains the three great throne halls — the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony — set on a raised marble terrace. Beyond lies the Inner Court with the emperor’s private apartments, the empress’s palace, and the Imperial Garden at the northern end. Roofs throughout are clad in glazed yellow tiles, a colour reserved exclusively for the emperor.
Cultural significance
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the Forbidden City is recognised as an outstanding example of Chinese palatial architecture and a unique record of the political and ritual life of the Ming and Qing empires. As the Palace Museum it now houses one of the world’s greatest collections of Chinese art and imperial artefacts, including ceramics, paintings, bronzes, and the imperial treasury.
Practical information
- Address
- 4 Jingshan Front St, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100009, China
- Hours
- Check the official Palace Museum website for current opening times and seasonal variations
- Admission
- Timed entry tickets required; book in advance via the Palace Museum official website
- Website
- en.dpm.org.cn (Palace Museum official site)
Getting there
The Forbidden City is served by Tiananmen East and Tiananmen West stations on Beijing Subway Line 1. Buses stop along Chang’an Avenue to the south. The main entrance (Meridian Gate) faces Tiananmen Square; the exit is through the Gate of Divine Might to the north, near Jingshan Park.
Sources & resources
Find it on the map
See this place and what’s around it →Historical events at this place (2)
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