subject: Visiting the Forbidden City in Beijing [print this page] Visiting the Forbidden City in Beijing Visiting the Forbidden City in Beijing
The Forbidden City or the Palace of the Imperial Dynasty is located in the very heart of the Chinese capital. For five centuries, it was used as the residence of the rulers of China. From here, 24 Emperors of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties ruled the country. From 1911 till his abdication in 1924, the last emperor of China lived in this palace in a tiny yard, though some buildings were converted into a museum and were opened to the public in 1914.Being the largest palace in the world, the Forbidden City has been listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.The construction dates back to around 15th century. The palace includes 800 buildings and 9999 rooms, occupying an area of 72 hectares. The Forbidden City was built in 1406-1420. Over one million construction workers and 100,000 other craftsmen such as stone carvers, wood carvers, painting artisans etc. were recruited by the Emperor to do the job.This monument is a vivid manifestation of the Chinese tradition. The name of the Forbidden City was given to it because only the Emperor and his family had the right to live here whereas all the others, like courtiers, officials and ordinary people, lived outside this great city, and no one could enter the palace without a permission of the governor. The palace is surrounded by a wall eight meters high and a deep ditch. Mortals were forbidden to enter until 1925. The palace was fully opened to the public in 1949. Now it is a popular museum, adjacent to the Tiananmen Square.From Tiananmen Square, you can enter the Forbidden City through the Gate of Heavenly Peace. The fortress was divided into two parts, the inner and outer palaces. The main buildings of the External palace where the Emperor used to perform his public duties were the halls of Supreme Harmony, Full Harmony and Preservation of Harmony.In the Inner Palace there were living quarters, where the Emperor lived, played, worshiped the God, together with the Empress, concubines, princes and princesses. The main buildings of this part of the Forbidden City were the hall of Celestial Purity, Union and Peace, and the Earth's Tranquility. There are also three imperial gardens here: Garden of Longevity, of Compassion and Peace, and the Imperial Garden.The design of the Forbidden City was carefully planned by the builders and architects, and was strictly in line with philosophical and religious principles symbolizing the power of emperors. As almost all of the present buildings were built in 18th century, they are all made of wood, therefore, smoking is strictly prohibited here.Hours: from 9.00 to 16.00. For a cost of 40 yuan ($5) you can order an audio guide in your language.
