The Beauty of Chinese Architecture - The Forbidden City

📍Located at the center of Beijing's central axis, the imperial palace of 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties, the largest and most complete extant complex of ancient wooden architecture in the world.

Built in 1406 and completed in 1420, it covers an area of 720,000 square meters and comprises more than 9,000 rooms. With red walls, yellow glazed tiles, golden doors, and vermilion pillars, its name is derived from the Purple Forbidden Enclosure—the abode of the Heavenly Emperor—symbolizing the emperor's central authority.

🏛️Must-see highlightsThe Hall of Supreme Harmony (the Golden Hall, the only building nationwide with a double-eaved hip roof and ten ridge beasts), the "Upright Brilliance" plaque in the Palace of Heavenly Purity (where the secret edict for selecting the heir was hidden behind it), the Treasure Gallery (featuring a kingfisher-feather phoenix crown and the Everlasting Sovereignty Cup), and the Clock and Watch Gallery (featuring Western automaton clocks).

📸Practical tipsPeak-season admission: 60 yuan; off-season: 40 yuan. Access to the Treasure Gallery and Clock and Watch Gallery costs 10 yuan each. Be sure to book tickets seven days in advance via the official mini-program. Closed on Mondays. Enter through the Meridian Gate and exit through the Divine Might Gate or East Glorious Gate. Wear comfortable shoes—count on walking around 20,000 steps daily. After exiting through the Divine Might Gate, climb Jingshan Hill for just 2 yuan; the sunset view of the entire central axis is breathtaking.

#ForbiddenCity #ImperialPalace #BeijingTravel #WorldHeritageSite