Forbidden City: A Lasting Legacy

While traveling around the world, a person can visit many wondrous and mysterious sites that conjure up images of historical events of long ago. One of the most fascinating sites in existence is the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, not far from the location of the 2008 Olympics. The Forbidden City has stood for almost five centuries and is rich in history and mystique. It has housed many Chinese emperors and was once considered China's political and ceremonial center.

Construction on the Forbidden City began in 1406 when Zhu Di, son of the Hongwu Emperor, became the Yongle Emperor and moved the capital of China to Beijing. The Forbidden City’s architecture is one that signifies traditional Chinese designing at its best. The Forbidden City's complex designs have influenced the design of many buildings in East Asia. According to legend, the inspiration for the Forbidden City came from Nguyen An, a eunuch from Annam (now present-day Vietnam). It is said he was inspired to design the Forbidden City based on his pet cricket’s cage. He was also in danger of being beheaded if he did not come up with a design that was “heavenly-inspired.” It took more than a million workers and 15 years to construct the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City consists of 980 buildings with 8,707 rooms covering 720,000 square meters.

After serving as the home of 24 emperors, the Forbidden City ceased being China’s political center in 1912. The Palace Museum was established in the Forbidden City after a coup in 1924. The Forbidden City has survived many events in China’s history such as the Cultural Revolution and World War II. In 1987, it was declared a World Heritage Site.

The Forbidden City is also an important part of Beijing’s civic layout. Its central north-south axis is the central axis of Beijing. The axis goes through Tiananmen Square. A wall measuring 7.9-meters with a six-meter deep, 52-meter wide moat surrounds it. The Forbidden City has four gates on the north, west, east and south sides. It holds many historical pieces including ceramics, paintings, bronze ware, timepieces, jade and many artifacts.

The Forbidden City is a treasure to behold and is truly one of the great historical sites in China. If checking out ancient art and architecture is up your alley, then visiting the Forbidden City should definitely be on any traveler’s wish list. Read more about the Forbidden City at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Now is the Time to Visit the Forbidden City

One of the world’s most incredible landmarks is the Forbidden City located in Beijing, China. For centuries, this large palace and grounds was widely known of, but held deep secrets. One of the reasons the Forbidden City was an enigma to the world and most of China is also the reason for its name. The Forbidden City was the seat of the Chinese Emperor and no one was allowed to enter or leave this magnificent and mysterious city without his consent. Fast forward over 500 years later and China has finally opened this amazing palace to the world.

The Forbidden City Now Open to the Public
The Forbidden City started being built in 1407 and construction ended in 1420. Originally the seat of the Ming Dynasty, 24 emperors called the Forbidden City home up until 1924. This amazing landmark offers a staggering 9,999 rooms, thousands of priceless artifacts and art and a 30 foot wall that surround the 74 hectares of land. Today, one can visit the Forbidden City and it has only been about 30 years since people of all nationalities were allowed to enter these amazing palace grounds.

Read More About the Forbidden City
For those interested in visiting or learning more about the Forbidden City, the Smithsonian Magazine offers a fascinating article on the subject. You can read it today by visiting our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Forbidden City of China

For those that are interested in travel, culture and architecture, one of the most beautiful structures are found in Asia. China has long been a fairly closed society and a complete mystery to the West. In recent decades travel between East and West has grown substantially showcasing many of China’s beautiful landmarks- one of them is the infamous Forbidden City. The Forbidden City sounds ominous and for many years it was a complete enigma, however with the awakening of China, the Forbidden City has opened its gates to the world and tourists from all over have descended onto this incredible architectural achievement. If you are interested in the Forbidden City, the Smithsonian Magazine offers an interesting article on this incredible masterpiece.

The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is actually a palace and grounds located in the heart of Beijing. It was the seat of the Ming Dynasty and home to 24 emperors over 5 centuries. This incredible palace receives its name due to the fact that no one could enter the city or leave the city without consent from the emperor. Because only aristocrats and servants were allowed within the confines of the city, it has always stirred mystery and intrigue. Today the Forbidden City is a museum and opened for all to see. As China hosted the 2008 summer Olympics millions have flocked to China hoping to see many of the landmarks including this palace which is one of the most popular attraction in all of Asia.

The Forbidden City is Enormous
The Forbidden City is perhaps the world’s largest palace. In fact, it is stated that the palace offers an incredible 9,999 rooms. The palace resides on a phenomenal 74 hectares of land. It is surrounded by walls that are 30 feet high and in addition to these tall walls is a moat. Construction of the Forbidden City started in 1407 and ended in 1420. The palace continued to be the home of Chinese Emperors until 1924. It is said that it took a labor force of 1,000,000 Chinese to build this great palace and included upwards of 100K artisans. Inside the Forbidden City there are incredible pieces of artwork and paintings- many of them priceless.

Read More About the Forbidden City
For those interested in the Forbidden City, please visit the Smithsonian Magazine’s website to read the wonderful article on this architectural masterpiece. You can visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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Enter China's Forbidden City

China has definitely awakened after years of sleep and although the Chinese culture is one of the oldest and now wealthiest countries, many people that live in Europe and North America are not aware of just how beautiful and rich China’s history has been. China has received plenty of publicity over the last few years as they hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and more and more tourists have been heading over to China to see the many magnificent cultural landmarks and achievements. One cultural landmark that is absolutely breathtaking is China’s Forbidden City.

The Mystery of China’s Forbidden City
China’s Forbidden City is actually a huge walled palace that includes a variety of buildings and landscapes. For centuries the Forbidden City was a mystery and few people entered inside it. Being the seat of the Chinese Emperor, no one could enter or leave the city without his permission. As such, over the years the Forbidden City has become perhaps the most mysterious palaces in the world.

The Forbidden City was Completed in 1420
The Forbidden City was constructed and completed in 1420 by the Ming Dynasty and from this time to 1912, the Forbidden City was the seat of 24 emperors. The Forbidden City was built in Beijing (called Gung Gong at the time) and is on a parcel of land that spreads across 180 acres. The palace itself has an incredible 9,999 rooms and it took a labor force of 200,000 Chinese to build the palace in just a few short years from 1407-1420.

The Palace Grounds
The Forbidden City is surrounded by 32 feet high walls and there is another form of defense- a moat that is 165 feet wide. Inside the Forbidden City there are beautiful gardens and wonderful buildings. Inside this wonderful palace are thousands of priceless artifacts and works of arts. The entire palace is built from wood and since this poses a huge fire risk in addition, you can spot bronze cauldrons placed around the palace grounds that are filled with water- to put out any fires that may ignite. Being so beautiful and so unique the Forbidden City is now designated as a World Heritage Site.

Read More About the Forbidden City
For those that have always been fascinated with Chinese culture or if the Forbidden City intrigues you, the Smithsonian Magazine has put together a phenomenal article on the beauty and mystery of this Palace. You can read it today by visiting our main website located at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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Visit the Forbidden City in China

If you are looking for exotic locations to visit, one place that tourists have been flocking to for many years is the beautiful city of Beijing, China. Beijing, China just recently hosted the 2008 Olympics and offers a wide variety of Chinese culture and landmarks to visit. One of the landmarks that is incredibly beautiful, but holds some mystique is the Forbidden City.

The Ming Dynasty in 1407 built the Forbidden City in the city of Gu Gong which is now Beijing. The Forbidden City gets its name from the fact that no one was allowed to leave or enter without the permission of the emperor. The Forbidden City is incredibly beautiful and staggering in its size. It is said to have 9,999 rooms and over 1 million pieces of art- many of which are priceless. It was built with the labor of 1 million men including about 100,000 skilled artisans.

For those that are interested in visiting the Forbidden City, you should know that from 1407 till 1912, the Forbidden City was the seat of emperors, after this time, it was opened to the citizens of China and only about 30 years ago was it finally opened to all citizens of the world. If you are interested in this remarkable palace, the Smithsonian Magazine offers an excellent article on the subject. Please read it today at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Enter the Forbidden City of China

For those that find Asia mysterious, one of the biggest mysteries that has recently been revealed to the world is the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City built about 600 years ago is now open not only to Chinese citizen but foreigners as well. This incredible palace and garden is one of the gems of China and for a long period of time housed incredible secrets which are now only being revealed slowly.

The Incredible Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was built in 1407 by the Ming Dynasty in the city of Gu Gong, which now is the city of Beijing. Close to Tiananmen Square and shaped like a rectangle, the Forbidden City stands today as the largest palace in the world and includes enclosed gardens. The palace and grounds received their name the Forbidden City due to the fact that no one could leave or enter without the emperors permission. The palace is said to have a staggering 9,999 rooms and was built using the labor of 1,000,000 men of which about 100K were skilled artisans.

Read More at Smithsonian Magazine
For those interested in learning more about the Forbidden City, the Smithsonian Magazine is offering an interesting article on the subject. You can read the article today, by visiting our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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The Emperor's Forbidden City

For those that are fascinated by the Far East, one city that many found exotic and formidable was the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is located in Beijing, it is actually a palace compound- perhaps the biggest and grandest in the world. Closed off from the West for close to 500 years, the Forbidden City is now a museum and one of the biggest tourist attractions in China. For those that have always wondered what is inside the Forbidden City, now is the time to find out.

The Forbidden City received its name because the only way one can enter or leave the palace compound was with approval of the emperor. The Forbidden City was completed in 1420 and was the seat of the Ming Dynasty. With a labor force of one million including 100K artisans, this city took only a few years to build. During its 500 years, the palace was home to 24 emperors, the last ruling until 1912. The palace has an unbelievable 9,999 rooms and thousands upon thousands of pieces of priceless art.

With the Forbidden City now open to the public, millions have flocked to see this incredible landmark. To learn more about this palace and its grounds, the Smithsonian Magazine offers an interesting article on the subject. To read it, please visit our main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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