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Forbidden City in Beijing, China

Historic Architecture of Beijing: Forbidden City

From Jackie Craven, About.com

Built between 1406 and 1420 during the Ming dynasty, the Forbidden City is also called the Purple Forbidden City, or Gugong Museum in Chinese.
Forbidden City in Beijing, China Photo © John Wang / Getty Images
Forbidden City in Beijing, China
Occupying a rectangular area of more than 720,000 square meters, the Forbidden City was the imperial home of 24 emperors of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. From their throne in the Forbidden City, they governed the country by holding court sessions with their ministers, issuing imperial edicts and initiating military expeditions.

The Forbidden City is one of the largest and best-preserved palace complexes in the world. There are over a million rare and valuable objects in the Gugong Museum.

See photos of the Forbidden City in Beijing >>

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