Forbidden City
Address
Forbidden City, Beijing
GPS
39.91727565, 116.39076940577
The Forbidden City is a complex of palaces situated in central Beijing, China. It houses the Palace Museum, and from the times of Ming dynasty until the end of the Qing dynasty it served as Chinese imperial palace.
Quick facts
- Name: Forbidden City
- Location: Beijing, China
- Type of attraction: Architectural
- Built: 1420
- Ticket price: From $10
The Forbidden City served as the home for emperors and their households, and has been the Chinese government’s ceremonial and political center for nearly 500 years.
The complex was constructed between 1406 and 1420, and consists of 980 buildings covering 72 hectares. The palace exemplifies traditional palatial Chinese architecture, and has inspired cultural and architectural trends in East Asia and elsewhere.
In 1987, the complex City was declared a World Heritage Site, and is listed by UNESCO as the world’s largest collection of preserved ancient wood structures.
The Forbidden City has been under the control of the Palace Museum since 1925, whose extensive collection of artworks and artifacts was built upon the imperial collections of the dynasties of Ming and Qing. Part of the old museum collection is now in the Taipei National Palace Museum.
Why Is It Called the Forbidden City?
The English name “Forbidden City” is a translation of the Chinese name Zijincheng (紫禁城 /dzrr-jin-chng/ ‘Purple Forbidden City’).
In ancient times, the emperor was said to be a son of Heaven, and therefore Heaven’s supreme power was bestowed upon him. The emperors’ residence was built leading north, as an earthly foil to the heavenly Purple Palace, i.e. the North Star, though to be home to the Celestial Emperor.
Considered a divine place, it was certainly forbidden to ordinary people and that is why the Forbidden City is so named.
Today, in China, it is usually called the “Former Palace” (故宫 Gugong /goo-gong/).
Interesting facts about Forbidden City
Here are some interesting facts about this amazing landmark:
- The name ‘forbidden’ came from the times when only royals, government officials and people with invitations could enter the city.
- There are total of 9,371 in the complex, although, by the legend, there are exactly 9,999 and a half rooms.
- Total of 24 emperors have ruled from the Forbidden City.
