Explore China — Visit the Forbidden City in Beijing

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Visit the Forbidden City in Beijing

Written by Robert Vance on September 10, 2008 – 12:21 pm

The Forbidden City is a cultural treasure with more than 600 years of history that should not be missed on a visit to Beijing. Completed in 1421 A.D., the Forbidden City served as the seat of the Ming Dynasty for more than 200 years and later as the political center for the Qing dynasty which ruled China from 1644 until the early 20th century.

The Forbidden City is the world’s largest surviving palace complex and contains close to 1000 buildings that have survived the test of time. The complex covers 72 hectares and is surrounded by a city wall and a small moat.

The Forbidden City contains thousands of paintings, ceramics, jade pieces, and other ancient collections from China’s long and rich history. Visitors can tour both the Outer Court, which was used for ceremonies and the inner court which is where the emperor and his family lived. Touring the palace is definitely worth half a day and much more if you are interested in Chinese history.

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The Forbidden City is open every day of the year. From October 16th-April 15th, it is open from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM and from April 16th - October 15th the Forbidden City is open from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM. Visitors can take a taxi to the area as well as public buses 1, 4, 20, 52, 57, 101, 103, 109, 111. Taking Beijing’s subway is also an option: Get off at Tian’anmenxi or Tian’anmendong on the East-West line.

**These Forbidden City photos belong to the China Teaching Web. The photos of the Forbidden City in Beijing may be used for educational purposes as long as you give us credit.

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