The Forbidden City Tourism

The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace or Gugong in Mandarin, is an iconic historic complex located in the heart of Beijing, China. Covering approximately 180 acres, this palatial expanse was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty (1420 to 1912). It consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms, which make it the world's largest palace complex according to the World Heritage List. Surrounded by a massive defensive wall and a moat, the Forbidden City served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for almost 500 years. The architecture and artifacts of the Forbidden City are exemplary of traditional Chinese palatial architecture and have been influential in East Asian art and culture. Since 1925, the Forbidden City has been under the charge of the Palace Museum, whose extensive collection of artwork and artifacts were built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynacies. The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese geomantic and religious principles, particularly the concept of harmony between heaven and earth.