The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. The Forbidden City lies at the heart of Beijing with the rest of the city radiating out from it in a grid pattern. For five centuries, this massive palace complex functioned as the administrative center of the country as well as the home to a succession of emperors. The construction of the grand palace started in the fourth year of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1406) and ended in 1420. The palace overlooks the famous Tiananmen Square.
The Forbidden City is the best-preserved imperial palace in China and the largest ancient palatial structure in the world. It covers an area of about 72 hectares and is reputed to have a total of 9999 rooms. Today, the Forbidden City houses the famous Palace Museum, which is a real treasure house of Chinese cultural and historical relics. It is recognized as one of the five most important palaces in the world. The splendid architecture of the Forbidden City represents the essence and culmination of traditional Chinese architectural accomplishment. In 1961, the Palace Museum was listed as one of the important historical monuments under special preservation by the Chinese central government, and in 1987, it was nominated as the world cultural heritage by the UNESCO.
