Forbidden City-The Palace Museum

The Forbidden City is the vast imperial palace at the heart of Beijing, the largest surviving palace complex in the world, with nearly a thousand buildings arranged along a strict north–south axis behind moats and crimson walls. For five centuries it was the ceremonial seat of the Ming and Qing emperors, off-limits to ordinary people; today you walk the same processional route through monumental gates and halls with names like Supreme Harmony, into the more intimate inner courts where the imperial family actually lived.

Its scale is the point and the challenge, it's enormous, and walking it end to end takes hours. Enter from the south (Meridian Gate) and exit north, branching into the quieter side palaces and the Treasure and Clock galleries that most rushed visitors skip. It connects directly to Tiananmen Square at the southern end.

Don't miss

• The grand axis through the Meridian Gate and Hall of Supreme Harmony
• The intimate inner court where the imperial family lived
• The Treasure Gallery and the Hall of Clocks
• The Imperial Garden near the northern exit
• The sheer scale, moats, crimson walls, and golden roofs

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Forbidden City-The Palace Museum

Cheapest way inForbidden City/ Palace Museum & Tiananmen Sq. Ticket Booking4.7★ · 161 travelers2–4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$3 per personSee dates →Best full dayAll-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall5★ · 3,732 travelers9–11 hoursFree cancellationFrom$98 per personSee dates →Private & flexiblePrivate Beijing City Tour to Forbidden City, Temple of Heave, Summer palace5★ · 12 travelers8–9 hoursFree cancellationFrom$138 per personSee dates →

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Know before you go

• Tickets MUST be booked online in advance with your passport, there are no walk-up sales and daily numbers are capped.
• It's one-way: enter south at the Meridian Gate, exit north. Plan your onward transport from the north gate.
• It's huge, wear comfortable shoes and pace yourself; budget half a day.
• Closed most Mondays. Go at opening to beat crowds.

A bit of history

Built between 1406 and 1420 under the Ming Yongle Emperor, the Forbidden City served as the imperial palace and seat of government until the abdication of the last emperor in 1912. It became the Palace Museum in 1925 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holding a vast collection of imperial artefacts.