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|  | A city within a city, the Forbidden City was the seat of power in China from the 15th century to 1924, date of the fall of the Last Emperor. In it is the largest imperial palace in the world.
The Meridian Gate
Start your visit at the main entrance, the Meridian Gate (Wu Men). It opens on to a paved courtyard through which the Inner Golden Water River snakes its way, passing under five marble bridges. This is just the beginning of the marvels.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony
Located in the first official palace, the throne room is literally stunning in its excesses. The red and gold covered walls are 30 m high. To see the imperial throne perched on its platform, you have to lean your head back. |
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| | Coal Hill
Open from 6am to 9pm, enjoy a royal sight from here: sunrise and sunset over the golden roofs of the Purple City. At the foot of this hill built to protect the palace, there is a small sign by the tree marking the spot where the last Ming emperor hanged himself in 1644.
Tiananmen Square
From the Gate of Heavenly Peace, enter this monumental public square. Bordered on one side by a vast Stalin-era building, the Great Hall of the People, it inevitably brings to mind the 1989 students' revolt and the government's violent, bloody suppression of it. |
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