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All China Beijing The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City

The most famous location in China was home to whole dynasties worth of imperial rulers.

Beijing, China

Added By
Rob Rubsam
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The Forbidden City   Saad Akhtar on Wikipedia
The Gate of Divine Might.   Kallgan at Wikipedia
The massive moat and wall surrounding The Forbidden City.   degreeero on Flickr
Tourists entering the Forbidden city   Swedish Nomad
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
There are gorgeous bronze sculptures in the courtyards   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
One of the many alleyways in the Forbidden City   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
9 animals   tahasic / Atlas Obscura User
The empty courtyards were quite amazing - so worth braving the cold.   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Imperial Palace roof lines with figures and decoration.   jaguiness / Atlas Obscura User
The moat freezes in winter (outside wall of the Forbidden City)   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Detail on a bronze vessel in the courtyard   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
  petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
These channels were running alcohol during the Emperor’s parties!   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the Dragons Wall in the Forbidden City   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Midwinter and minus degrees - few visitors in the morning   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Exquisitely decorated tiled wall   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Panorama of Forbidden City from Jingsan Park   argusfoto / Atlas Obscura User
Ming-era porcelain vase with the character for “Longevity.”   Rosemania on Wikipedia
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
A snowy visit!   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Possibly one of the most recognizable locations in all of China, this world-famous icon and modern-day tourist magnet was once the exclusive estate of China's ruling class.

Separated into an inner and outer court, the Forbidden City forms a rectangle several thousand feet long and wide, with a moat surrounding all four sides. The huge estate contains five major gates and numerous halls, large and small, each with grandiose names such as the "Gate of Divine Might" and the "Hall of Literary Glory." Construction began in 1402 and lasted for 16 years, employing over a million workers.  It served as the seat of the Ming Dynasty from 1420 until 1644, at which point it housed the heads of the Qing Dynasty until 1912.

After Emperor Puyi abdicated in 1912, the Forbidden City underwent several periods of turmoil, including the evacuation (some would say theft) of numerous artifacts to Taiwan in 1948 by a fleeing Chian Kai-shek of the Guomindang.  It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and today the entire complex is part of the Palace Museum, whose collection includes over ten thousand ancient fans, among other artifacts and priceless works of Chinese art.  Besides the pieces contained inside, visitors can admire the high imperial architecture, as well as a mingling of religious influences including Taoism, Manchu shamanism, and Tibetan Buddhism.

Easily one of the most visited locations in China, The Forbidden City is a one-of-kind monument to one of the most culturally rich periods in Asia's history.

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Added By

Rob

Edited By

Martin, Blindcolour, EricGrundhauser, argusfoto...

  • Martin
  • Blindcolour
  • EricGrundhauser
  • argusfoto
  • Collector of Experiences
  • petrahudson
  • jaguiness
  • Alexwaltner
  • katielou106
  • tahasic

Published

September 17, 2012

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  • http://www.dpm.org.cn/shtml/2/@/8797.html
  • http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/439/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Forbidden_City
  • https://www.cchatty.com/article/Forbidden-City
The Forbidden City
Beijing
China
39.922456, 116.396804
Visit Website

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