Forbidden City — Attraction in Beijing

The Forbidden City: A Timeless Symbol of Imperial Majesty

Nestled at the heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City stands as an unparalleled testament to China’s imperial grandeur, architectural mastery, and cultural heritage. Spanning over 180 acres, this vast palace complex served as the political and ceremonial center of the Chinese empire for nearly five centuries, from the Ming Dynasty in 1420 to the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1912. With its distinct vermilion walls, golden roofs, and elegant wooden structures, the Forbidden City remains one of the most iconic historical sites in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year.

Constructed during the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, the Forbidden City reflects the philosophical ideals of Confucianism and the cosmic principles of Chinese geomancy, or feng shui. Every architectural detail was meticulously planned to align with the symbolic order of the universe. The complex includes nearly 1,000 buildings and over 8,000 rooms, all laid out in a symmetrical design that emphasizes harmony, hierarchy, and power. The main halls are situated along the central axis, reserved for official ceremonies and the emperor’s governance, while the surrounding courtyards and chambers were designated for the royal family and inner court affairs.

The Forbidden City was not merely a residence for emperors; it was a microcosmic world where politics, philosophy, and tradition converged. Only the emperor, his family, and select officials were allowed to enter. Commoners were strictly prohibited—hence the name "Forbidden City." This exclusivity gave the complex an aura of mystery and reverence that still lingers today. Even within the palace, access was tightly controlled. Hierarchical structures were enforced through strict protocols, and the layout of the buildings mirrored the social order of the imperial court.

One of the most striking features of the Forbidden City is its intricate use of symbolism. From the number of dragon motifs adorning rooftops to the specific colors used in decorations, every detail had a purpose. Yellow, the color of the emperor, dominates the roofs; red symbolizes good fortune and power. The number nine, considered the most powerful single-digit number in Chinese numerology, appears frequently—nine bays, nine gates, and nine mythical beasts on rooftops. These elements underscored the emperor’s divine right to rule and the celestial order he was believed to maintain.

Today, the Forbidden City is preserved as the Palace Museum, a treasure trove of art, culture, and historical relics. It houses over 1.8 million cultural artifacts, including ancient paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, jade, and imperial garments. Each exhibit offers a glimpse into the sophistication of Chinese craftsmanship and the lives of those who once ruled the Middle Kingdom. Visitors can walk through the grand courtyards, stand before the majestic Hall of Supreme Harmony, and imagine the echoes of royal footsteps on stone pavements laid centuries ago.

In 1987, UNESCO designated the Forbidden City as a World Heritage Site, citing it as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. Despite wars, revolutions, and natural disasters, the Forbidden City has remained remarkably intact. Its enduring presence in the center of modern Beijing serves as a bridge between China’s imperial past and its rapidly evolving present. As a symbol of Chinese civilization, it continues to inspire awe and admiration, standing as both a historical monument and a cultural legacy.

In conclusion, the Forbidden City is more than a palace; it is a narrative etched in stone, wood, and color—a story of emperors, dynasties, rituals, and ideologies that shaped one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Whether viewed through the lens of history, architecture, or philosophy, the Forbidden City remains an eternal marvel, embodying the spirit and legacy of...

A view of the entire Forbidden City from Jingshan (Coal) Hill.

Location: China, cultural registration criteria: i, ii, iii, iv, registration number: 439, registration date: 1987 (11th session)

The Forbidden City is said to be the largest and most complete collection of wooden architecture in the world.

The construction of the Forbidden City began in 1420 AD by the order of Yong Lu, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and was built within 14 years. Until 1911 AD and the destruction of the Qing Dynasty (almost 500 years), a total of 24 emperors resided in this forbidden city and ruled over China. Since 1924, visiting this complex as a palace museum has been open to the public and its prohibition has ended.

This rare work with a rectangular structure covers an area of ​​about 72 hectares. Its dimensions are 961 meters long from north to south and 753 meters wide from east to west. A wall with a height of 10 meters and a ditch with a width of 52 meters surrounds the complex. The wall has a gate on each side. On the south side is the "Meridian Gate" and on the north side is the "Gate of Divine Might". The walls are thick and designed to withstand the artillery fire of the time.

The Forbidden City was built entirely according to the ceremonial system of feudal dynasties and class principles. The overall plan, size, architectural style, color and decorations all represent the privilege of the royal family and the aristocratic hierarchy. The three palaces of this complex, Tai Ha Palace, Jun Ha Palace and Baio Ha Palace, which attract more attention, have been the place where the emperors exercised their imperial power and held magnificent ceremonies. Tai Ha Palace, the center of the entire Forbidden City and the emperor's golden royal throne can be seen in this palace. This palace has the most luxurious architecture in the forbidden city. This palace is built in the north of the square on a white marble platform with an area of ​​30,000 square meters and a height of 8 meters. Its height is 40 meters, which is the tallest building in the forbidden city.

In Chinese culture, the dragon represents imperial power, and the emperor is called the "heavenly son" of the true dragon. The inside of Tai Ha Palace is decorated with about 13 thousand dragon figures on top and bottom.

A view of the forbidden city

The number of palaces and rooms in the forbidden city is very high. It is said that there are a total of 9999.5 rooms in it. According to Chinese ancients, the residence of the heavenly emperors has 10,000 rooms, and the emperors who were considered the sons of the heavenly emperor should be restrained and should not exceed the number of rooms of the heavenly emperor. Therefore, the number of rooms in the forbidden city is half a room less than the number of rooms in the heavenly palace. (That half-room apparently contains only one staircase.)

The architecture of the Forbidden City complex is the crystallization of the attitude and tact of the Chinese people. The collection is full of strange ideas, from the straightness of the buildings to the verticality of each room and wall. For example, the white platform of Tai Ha Palace makes this palace more glorious and at the same time prevents moisture from entering the palace. For the drainage of this platform, which is in three levels, more than a thousand dragon head statues were used, and when it rains, the drained water gushes out of the mouths of the dragons. A total of 308 large copper containers for storing water can be seen in the courtyard of this city, which were used to prevent fires throughout the year. In winter, they would light a fire under these dishes so that the water inside would...

While visiting Beijing, we booked a tour of the forbidden City for a Saturday morning. We were lucky that the weather was really nice and the group was pretty small, of around 30 people. The thing we were the luckiest about, though, was our guide, Maggie, who was a very good and experiences professional, fluent in English, with a clear pronunciation, and relentless in helping every member of the group with their individual needs. We were not aware that the tour only covers outdoor spaces of the forbidden City, which is huge in area. No indoor spaces were visited. Being a saturday, as expected, the place was crowded, mainly with Nationals that looked like they were visiting the place for the first time, sometimes in groups of around 100 people, many of whom were elderly and had some locomotion problems. The area is so large that even with the thousands of people around us I managed to make some photographs of some of the spaces with barely anyone in the picture. This place gives you an educative insight into what the past history of China and the roots of their culture are all about. It was a great experience. The lower points of the visit were: 1 - The security screening, made by machines, which was chaotic, with people screaming and pushing each other. I even dropped a case with one of my lens, without noticing, but some other visitor saw it happen and returned it to me, pronto. 2 - Especially if you take into consideration the size of the whole city, we found it strange that there was only one set of bathrooms available, and they were located at the far end of the visitedd area. Since my girlfriend needed to use the restroom only a few minutes after we passed the security screening and were walking towards the first pavilion, and with the careful help of Maggie we had to walk past the three main buildings close to where the tour would end use the bathroom, and return to the group. This took between 12 and 15 minutes using Maggie's wise advices and explanation on how to get there and back. We didn't feel like we lost an important part of the tour. It would be interesting, and helpful, if visitors could have access to a bilingual map of the whole visited area - for this kind of situation - that could be made accessible through a QR code read by our phones. At the end of the visit, Maggie was again very professional and helpful, by showing us out of the visited space and giving us information on how and where to go to grab a taxi. I made several hundreds of pictures with my camera and phone and finally enough, some of my favorite are the ones I took of the outside of the walls of the forbidden City by getting them in the sentinel Tower reflected on the outside moat. All in all the tour was a very positive and enjoyable experience, made possible by the nice weather with some sun but mainly cloudy sky which, and the cold air in beijing, which allowed us to spend so long outdoors without feeling either too warm or too cold. Kudos to Maggie who was one of the best guides I've ever...