The Palace Museum was built during the reign of Emperor Yong Le, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but it was burnt down, rebuilt, sacked and renovated numerous times. Most of the architecture inthe Palace Museumwere rebuilt in the 1700s and onwards. It was once the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing Dynasty. In the past it was known as the Forbidden City. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. Surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten meter high wall are 9,999 rooms. The wall has a gate on each side. Opposite to the Tiananmen Gate, to the north is the Gate of Divine Might (Shenwumen), which facesJingshan Park. The distance between these two gates is 960 meters, while the distance between the gates in the east and west walls is 750 meters. There are unique and delicately structured towers on each of the four corners of the curtain wall. These afford views over both the palace and the city outside.
Highlights – The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)
The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)
Like all buildings in the Forbidden City, the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian) has a roof covered with yellow-brown porcelain tiles. The tiles at the corners of the roof are shaped like dragons that are thought to protect the buildings from lightning. The Hall of Highest Harmony was the throne hall of the Ming and Qing emperors. It is 27 m tall and 63 m wide. Three broad stairways lead to the platform; the middle stairway is decorated with a relief of dragons playing in water, symbols for the emperor in his dragon robe. Bronze turtles and cranes flanking the stairs are symbols for longevity; quite famous are also the sundial and the standard measures. In front of the hall, in the wide court south of it, all high officials and dignitaries used to attend to court ceremonies.
Opening hours: 8:30 – 17:00
Address: No. 4 Jingshan Front Street, Dongcheng District
Surrounded Restaurants:
The Imperial House (Yushanfang), Teaffee, Gugong Restaurant, Beijing Xinyigong Roast Duck Restaurant
If you want to try some Beijing’s local snacks, go toWangfujingStreet, which is not far from the Palace Museum.
Surrounded Hotels: Jingdu Hotel, Yuan Song Hotel, Nan Chi Zi Hotel
Transportation: take Subway Airport Line to Dongzhimen Station, transfer to Subway Line 2 to Jianguomen Station and then take Subway Line 1 to Tian’anmen East Station or Tian’anmen West Station.
