Pictures from our June 2006 visit: The Forbidden City

Under the Ming and Qing dynasties, Beijing was divided into walled sections or cities--the Forbidden City (or Gugong, meaning Imperial Palace) was the innermost and the most important because it was the residence of the emperor. Construction of the original palace buildings began in 1406 and took 14 years to complete. Between 1420 and 1923 the palace was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Entry was forbidden to all but those on imperial business until 1911, when the last emperor, Puyi, was overthrown, although he was allowed to remain in the palace for several more years.



The Forbidden City occupies 7.75 million square feet and there are allegedly 9,999 rooms, one less than the mythological number of 10,000 rooms in heaven. It is also surrounded by a 170-foot-wide, 19.5-foot-deep moat and a 33-foot-high wall with a perimeter of 3.75 miles.



The many halls, pavilions and gates are painted red, symbolizing happiness and auspiciousness. Yellow, considered a royal color, is represented in the glazed tiles of the roofs. Usually mythological animals decorate the curved ends of the roofs. The more animals, the more important the building.



A royal throne in one of the halls.



A dog statue made of gold.



Here we are just outside the Hall of Imperial Peace, located in the Imperial Garden.



Located just outside the northern gate of the Forbidden City lies the 57 acre Jingshan Park. Built in 1179, the park represents the highest point in Beijing, rising almost 160 feet. The man-made hill (Jingshan Hill) was formed with the dirt dredged to form the moat surrounding the Forbidden City. Within the park are five scenery viewing pavilions which afford spectacular views of Beijing. Unfortunately they were under renovation when we visited so we could only get a view looking east, instead of the view overlooking the Forbidden City.