Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is located in the center of Beijing and is an amazing collection of ancient buildings, which served as the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. This is why that to this day, the Forbidden City is also known as the Imperial Palace. At this same location is where the Palace Museum also exists.

The Forbidden City boasts 800 amazing buildings and a total of over 8,000 different rooms. It boasts the title of being the largest palace in the world and covers over 700,000 square miles.

Tiananmen Gate is the main entrance although not an actual part of the Forbidden City. After you pass through Meridian Gate, you enter the main palace’s courtyard. As you travel through the courtyard, you’ll come across amazing bridges and gorgeous gardens.

There are many guided tours that take you through the Forbidden City. These are ideal because you get to learn about the palace and see the best parts that you may not be aware of on your own. Some top spots to see on your tour include the Gate of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Supreme Harmony, Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Gate of Divine Might.

Definitely check out the royal gardens that flank the Forbidden City. Beihai Park and Jingshan Park are two of the most popular that you don’t want to miss. They represent historic places on their own where history has been made. In Jingshan Park, the last emperor of the Ming dynasty hung himself as his home was invaded by rebels.

Cost to visit the Forbidden City is RMB40 during the off-season of November 1 to March 31 and RMB60 during the peak season of April 1 to October 31. For comparison purposes, RMB40 equals around $5 USD. University students as well as soldiers can gain entry for half price. Be prepared to pay a little extra for entrance fees to the Watch and Treasures Hall in the Palace Museum, which cost RMB10 each, which equals around $1.25 USD.