The Forbidden City in Beijing  

The Forbidden City, the imperial palace located in the center of Beijing andwas built around 600 years ago.

It was the Imperial home of the Emperor and his household for almost five centuries. The palace consists of 980 surviving buildings and covers an area of 720,000 square meters.

The structure illustrates traditional Chinese palatial architecture which has influenced architectural and cultural developments.

In 1987, the palace was declared a World Heritage Site and is currently listed by UNESCO as the largest accumulation of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

The Forbidden City is traditionally divided into two regions: the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court that was used for ceremonial purposes comprised the southern sections. The Inner Court or Back Palace that includes the northern sections was the residence of the Emperor and his family.