Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called Gu Gong, in Chinese, was the
imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is
to the north of Tiananmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace
complex and covers 74 hectares (183 acres). Surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten
meter high wall are 9,999 buildings. Construction of the palace complex began in 1407, the
5th year of the Yongle reign of the third emperor of the Ming dynasty. It was completed
fourteen years later in 1420.
imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now known as the Palace Museum, it is
to the north of Tiananmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace
complex and covers 74 hectares (183 acres). Surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten
meter high wall are 9,999 buildings. Construction of the palace complex began in 1407, the
5th year of the Yongle reign of the third emperor of the Ming dynasty. It was completed
fourteen years later in 1420.