The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City, also called the Palace Museum (Chinese: 故宫, Pinyin:Gù gōng), the
Purple Forbidden City or Gugong Museum in Chinese, is one of the sights that every
Beijing visitor must see. The Forbidden City was built between 1406 and 1420 during the
Ming Dynasty. It had been the imperial home of 24 emperors of the Ming (1368-1644)
and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It was the residence of the Chinese Emperors for more
than 400 years. Named a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987, the Forbidden
City is one of the largest and best-preserved palace complexes in the world. There are
over a million rare and valuable objects in the Museum.























History: The third Ming emperor, Yongle, constructed the Forbidden City from 1406 to
1420, as he moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Twenty-four successive Ming and
Qing emperors ruled from the palace until 1911 when the Qing dynasty fell. Puyi, the last
emperor, was allowed to live inside the inner court until his expulsion in 1924. A
committee then took charge of the palace, and, after organizing over a million treasures,
the committee opened the Palace Museum to the public on October 10, 1925.
























































Features:
* Surrounded by 10m high walls and a 52m wide moat
* Measures 961m from north to south and 753k from east to west, covering 720,000
square meters
* Each side has one gate. Tourists today enter through the southern Meridian Gate (Wu
men) and exit through the northern Gate of Spiritual Valor (Shenwu men).
* 70 halls and palaces, totaling 9,999 rooms comprise the palace which spans a north-
south axis
* Multiple galleries displaying portions of the imperial treasure trove

Services:
* Audio guides in multiple languages are available at the Meridian Gate (Wu men) and
the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu men). Rental is 40RMB + deposit of 100RMB which
you get back when you turn in our audio guide at the exit.
* Bag check at Meridian gate, Wumen
* Gift shops, bookstores, snacks (yes, there's even a Starbucks, located in the
southeastern corner of the Hall of Preserving Harmony)
* Information Center in the Archery Pavilion (Jian ting)

Collections:
*Musical instrument, displayed in the Silver Vault, on the west side of the Outer Court
*Scientific instruments, including the first calculator, sun dials, moon dials, astronomical
and drawing tools. Part of the Imperial Treasures of the Ming and Qing Dynasties exhibit,
on the west side of the inner Court
*Stone Drums, China's earliest stone inscriptions dating back to 374 BC, in the Hall of
Moral Cultivation
*Jewelry, also in the Hall of Moral Cultivation
*Jade, pieces range from simple cups and ladles to enormous and intricate sculptures of
Buddhas, in the Hall of Quintessence
*Daily life of the concubines, clothing, games,herbal medicine as well as the wedding
night bed covered in a richly embroidered red silk, in the Yonghe Pavilion
*Clocks and watches, the finest of the many and varied palace collections, primarily
European, in the Fengxian Pavilion
*Xianfu Pavilion is a memorial to the Empress Cixi, Including clothes. jewelry, embroidered
socks, imported perfume, jade and ivory chopsticks
Forbidden City_Hall of SupremeHarmony
The Forbidden City Watchtower
The Forbidden City Aerial Viiew
Birdeye view of The Forbidden City
Location
in the heart of Beijing,
directly north of
Tiananmen Square

Address:
(South entrance) North
side of Tiananmen Square
across
Chang'an Dajie;
(North entrance) 4
Jingshan Qianjie,
Dongcheng District, Beijing

Chinese Address:
北京市天安门城楼北侧 (南
入口); 北京市东城区景山
前街4号(北入口)

Transportation
Bus:1,4,10,22,52 at
Tiananmen,
101,103,109,124,810,812,
846 at Gugong
Subway: Line 1 at
Tiananmendong

Travel Tips
Most visitors buy tickets at
the Meridian Gate (Wu
Men, south of Gugong).
To avoid the lengthy
queue, you can enter from
the north via the Gate of
Divine Prowess, and visit
in reverse

Admission fee
40RMB ($5.6)
(Nov. 1 to Mar. 31)
60RMB ($8.3)
(Apr 1 to Oct 31)
additional charges for
certain halls
40RMB ($5.6)
Audio guides

Opening hours
8:30 am to 4:30 pm
(Oct. 15 to Mar. 31)
8:30 am to 5:00 pm
(Apr 1 to Oct 14)

Time for visit
about three hours

Top Features
Hall of Supreme Harmony
(Taihedian)
Hall of Complete Harmony
(Zhonghedian)
Hall of Preserving Harmony
(Baohedian)
Palace of Heavenly Purity
Hall of Union
Meridian Gate
Inner Court
Xianfu Pavilion
Yonghe Pavilion
Fengxian Pavilion


Tourist Map of the
Forbidden City
Five marble bridges, symbolizing the five cardinal virtues of Confucianism,
sapn the Golden Water Which flows from west to eat in a course designed
to resemble the jade belt worn by the court officials
Forbidden city - the Hall of Supreme Harmony  ???
Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)
Raised on a triple tier of marble terraces, this largest of halls house a
sandalwood throne, used in the coronation for twenty four emperors who
ruled China over a period of almost five hundred years
The Forbidden City Watchtower
The Forbidden City - Palace Museum - Gugong
The Forbidden City Sunset
Forbidden City
Photo Gallery
Animal decoration at rooftop of Hall of Supreme Harmony
Hall of Complete Harmony Interior
The Forbidden City - Male Stone Lion
The Forbidden City - Meridian Gate in Winter
What's New in the Forbidden City?
Juanqinzhai (Studio of Exhaustion from Diligent Service), Qianlong Emperor's lavish
retirement home in the northeast quadrant of the Forbidden City, will be open to the
public on a limited basis beginning in 2009.
故宫博物院

故宫概况:
世界文化遗产、全国重点文物保护单位。位于北京市中心,原为明清两代皇宫。1914年,清逊帝溥仪被逐出“宫禁”后,成立了古物陈
列所,位于紫禁城南部。 1925年10月故宫博物院成立。1947年古物陈列所和故宫博物院合并,仍称故宫博物院。1933年故宫的重要
文物被运往上海、南京、四川等地。抗战胜利后,运回北京,后来部分运往台湾。故宫博物院是以紫禁城建筑群、古代艺术品收藏及
宫廷史迹为主要展示内容的大型综合性博物馆。

故宫筹建于明永乐四年(1406年),建成于明永乐十八年(1420年),从明到清共有24位皇帝在此居住、临朝。依照中国古代星象
学说,紫微垣位于中天,乃天帝所居,天人对应,是以皇帝的居所又称紫禁城。1911年辛亥革命推翻了清王朝的统治,清帝逊位。在
此前后500余年中,共有24位皇帝曾在这里居住并对国家实行统治。辛亥革命后,这座宫殿本应全部收归国有,但按照当时拟定的
《清室优待条件》,溥仪被允许“暂居宫禁”。

故宫占地72万平方米,建筑面积约15万平方米,共有殿宇9000余间,都是砖木结构、黄琉璃瓦顶、青白石底座饰以金碧辉煌的彩
绘,是世界上现存规模最大、最完整的古代皇家建筑群。故宫四面环有高10米的城墙,城墙南北长961米,东西宽753米,城外有一
条宽52米、长3800米的护城河环绕,构成完整的防卫系统。故宫总体布局为中轴对称,布局严谨,秩序井然,寸砖片瓦皆遵循着封
建等级礼制,映现出帝王至高无上的权威,其主体按布局和功能可以分为外朝、内廷两大部分,外朝是皇帝举行朝会大典和行使权力
的地方,主要建筑为太和殿、中和殿、保和殿;内廷是皇帝处理日常政务和帝后及其年幼子女居住的地方,主要建筑为乾清宫、交泰
殿、坤宁宫。外朝和内廷在中轴线上以乾清门广场为界,前(南)为外朝,后(北)为内廷。紫禁城的布局、设计充分体现了中国古
代传统文化的特点,是集中国古代建筑艺术之大成的宫殿建筑典范。故宫博物院目前对外开放面积为43万平方米,分为以三大殿、后
三宫为主的中路;以武英殿为主的外西路;以养心殿、西六宫为主的内西路;以东六宫为主的内东路;以文华殿、奉先殿、宁寿宫为
主的外东路等5条参观路线。

故宫必赏景观:
     
代表性的主要景点:
  
太和殿:紫禁城内体量最大、等级最高的建筑物。明永乐十八年(1420年)建成。明清两朝24个皇帝登极继位等都在太和殿举
行盛大典礼。
  
乾清宫:内廷后三宫之一。始建于明代永乐十八年(1420年),明清两代曾因数次被焚毁而重建,现有建筑为1798年所建。
  
坤宁宫:内廷后三宫之一,始建于明永乐十八年(1420年),正德九年(1514年)、万历二十四年(1596年)两次毁于火,万历三十三
年(1605年)重建。   
  
颐和轩:紫禁城东北隅宁寿宫后区中路建筑之一,南有乐寿堂,北为景祺阁,轩与阁之间有穿廊相连,形成工字殿。颐和轩建于
乾隆三十七年(1772年),嘉庆七年(1802年)、光绪十七年(1891年)两次重修。
  
保和殿:故宫外朝三大殿之一。位于中和殿后,建成于明永乐十八年(1420年),初名谨身殿,嘉靖时遭火灾,重修后改称建
极殿。清顺治二年改为保和殿。
  
中和殿:故宫外朝三大殿之一,位于紫禁城太和殿、保和殿之间。始建于明永乐十八年(1420年)。
  
珍宝馆:分设于养性殿(第一室)、乐寿堂(第二室)、颐和轩(第三室)。主要是清宫收藏的金银玉翠。

景区服务
  无障碍设施与服务:
  坡道、升降机(午门城楼)、爬楼车(三大殿)、无障碍卫生间、轮椅服务。
  语音导游
  语种:汉语、粤语、英语、法语、日语、德语、韩语、俄语、泰语、葡萄牙语、西班牙语、阿拉伯语、意大利语。
  位置:午门讲解处、神武门讲解处。
  价格:押金 100 元,租金40元(汉语版、粤语版10元)。
  商品服务:旅游纪念品、图书、餐饮、邮局。
  广播位置:景运门西南。
  存包处:午门、神武门,时间:8:30-18:00 ,价格:免费(游客可选择安检后不存包,可在两门之间免费运送)。
  轮椅和儿童车位置:午门讲解处、神武门讲解处,价格:免费。
  观众服务中心位置:箭亭。
  观众咨询电话:010-85111576、85111567。
  固定陈列:宫廷原状陈列和十多个固定展览。
  设施服务:开放地区有快餐厅。
  免费日:学生团体(20人以上)每周二(不含法定节假日)提前预约可免门票(专馆不在免票范围)
  预约需求:20人以上,需提前5天预约。
  人数限制:每周二(不含法定节假日)每天1000人,约满为止。
  预约电话:010-85117240。
  特别提示:学校参观时持介绍信(原件)。

电        话:010-85117048
门        票:旺季:(4月1日--10月31日)60元/人
淡季:(11月1日--次年3月31日)40元/人
珍宝馆:10元/人,钟表馆:10元/人
1.2米以下儿童免票参观
残疾人免收门票
地        址:北京市东城区景山前街4号
交通路线:南(午门):地铁1号线天安门东或天安门西站,公交1、4、5、2、10、20、728路;北(神武门):公交109、103、
101、124路。   
游览最佳季节:4月下旬-6月上旬、8月下旬-11月底。
故宫非常之大,有九千多间宫殿,如果都逛遍了一天几乎不可能,但一般人只游览三大殿、后三宫、御花园,基本上从南到北大半天
就能逛完。三大殿包括:太和殿、中和殿、保和殿;后三宫包括:乾清宫、交泰殿、坤宁宫。三大殿是皇帝上朝、登基的场所;后三
宫是帝后休息的地方。当然,在故宫内东路、内西路、外东路、外西路各个宫殿里有展览,都是稀世珍宝。
 
Location Map of The Forbidden City (Gu Gong), Beijing, China
Location Map of the Forbidden City