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Step Inside the Forbidden City
On its 600th anniversary, discover China's famous Forbidden City and explore its architectural wonders and precious artifacts
In collaboration with
The home of Emperors
Where the wisdom and hard work of Ancient China is built into every detail
Watch
How The Forbidden City Was Built
Unveiling the wonder of the Palace's construction and how it's remained standing for 600 years
The history
What's So Forbidden About The Forbidden City?
Discover how the palace got its name
Time for a tour
Take a look inside the imperial palace at the heart of China's history
Must see
5 Amazing Things You Have to See
What to keep an eye out for as you look around, from dragon thrones to lion statues
Take a walk around
For the first time ever, explore the halls and gates in 360
Explore
Meridian Gate
Explore
Square of The Gate of Supreme Harmony
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Hall of Supreme Harmony
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Hall of Central Harmony & Hall of Preserving Harmony
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Square of The Hall of Supreme Harmony
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Gate of Heavenly Purity
Listen and look
Explore the Palace while enjoying some classical music
Step Into The Forbidden City Through The Meridian Gate
Walk through the center passage way that used to be reserved only for the emperor
Wander From The Gate to The Hall of Supreme Harmony
Enter the Hall of Supreme Harmony and look at the dragon throne
Don't Miss The Hall of Central Harmony
How many doors are there?
Take A Look at The Hall of Preserving Harmony
Get close to the largest carved stone in the Forbidden City
Stop at The Gate of Heavenly Purity
Have you noticed the gilt bronze lions?
Making an entrance
The doorways with a difference
The gates
Meridian Gate: The Entrance to The Forbidden City
Did you notice these details when entering the Forbidden City?
The gates
Explore The Gate of Heavenly Purity
Your last stop before stepping inside the inner court
The gates
Take A Tour of The Gate of Supreme Harmony
The largest gate and the grand formal entrance to the Forbidden City's Outer Court
Discover the architecture
Learn more about the craftsmanship of the halls
What Are The Three Great Halls?
A group of structures crafted with a great deal of thought and effort
Explore
Hall of Supreme Harmony: Where The Emperor Sits
The most dignified building in the Forbidden City
Wander Around The Hall of Central Harmony
It may be the smallest hall, but it still has a big impact
Tour The Hall of Preserving Harmony
See the largest bit of ornately carved stone in the Forbidden City
The best seat in the house
Take a look inside the The Hall of Supreme Harmony
The Dragon Throne
Where the emperor sat during grand ceremonies to inspect his empire
Bring the treasures to your home
Pick an artwork to hang in your home with Augmented Reality
See them all
You're invited to the imperial wedding
Discover the traditions of an Ancient Chinese marriage ceremony
Attend A Wedding at The Palace
Follow the bridal entourage to the grand wedding of the Guangxu Emperor
See Inside The Secret Wedding Chamber
Take a peek at where the newlyweds spend their first days - a room not normally accessible to the public
A closer look at the wedding rituals
Zoom into these paintings showing the details of Ancient Chinese Imperial ceremonies
The Emperor Dispatches His Chosen Envoy
The Envoy Leads The Bridal Entourage To The Empress
The Empress Arrives at The Palace
The Emperor Waiting for The Empress
Enjoy the Chinese court music
Spot the dragons
The stories behind the sacred creatures that guard the palace
Animal Attraction
Ever wondered what the lions and dragons mean?
View
The Palace puzzles
Piece together an artifact from the Palace
Keep playing
View all puzzles
See all of the treasures in one place
View All
Iconic artworks
Paintings that tell a story
Calligraphic Art
A Conversation between Confucius and Bu Shang
A manuscript by the renowned calligrapher Ouyang Xun (557-641)
On Silk
A Closer Look at The Qianlong Emperor's Grand Inspection Armor
See what the emperor wore during large-scale military exercises
Sealed in history
Stamping documents in style
Jade Seal of the Chongzhen Emperor
Seal of the Emperor
Seal of Cherishing the Virtuous and Loving the People
Seal of the Great Qing Receiving the Mandate
The Qianlong Emperor's Three-Connected Seals
Seal of Imperial Sacrifices to Heaven
Precious craftsmanship
Beautiful, functional, and priceless ornaments
Golden Bell
Silver Cup in the Shape of a Tree-like Canoe by Zhu Bishan
Golden Celestial Globe with Pearl Inlays
Champlevé Enamel Zun Wine Vessel in the Shape of an Ox
Gold Cup with Jewel Inlay: Eternal Territorial Integrity
Gold Ruyi Scepter Engraved with Floral Designs
Pair of Gold Crane Censers
The beauty in the detail
Incredibly intricate tapestries and paintings
A Happy Scene to Welcome Spring
Learn about the meaning behind the scene
Ten-thousand Beautiful Landscapes Under Heaven
Travel between the real scenes and the artist's imagination
Sukhāvatī (The Pure Land) Woven with Silk
Extraordinary articrafts
Ornate objects from everyday life
Loop-Handled Teapot with Ram-Head Spout
Sky-blue Glazed Ru Ware Zun Vessel with Bowstring Patterns
Gui Serving Vessel of Zhui
Painted Enamel Basket with Peonies
Peach Shaped Container with Gold Lining
Inksticks with Paintings and Qianlong Emperor's Poems
Spiritual treasures
Holy objects from the Palace
Qing imperial collection
Mandala of Shakyamuni Buddha with Cloisonné Enamel
Qing imperial collection
Golden Pagoda for Containing Hair
Now test your knowledge
How many emperors lived in the Forbidden City?
24
The Qianlong Emperor in Ceremonial Armor on Horseback (Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766, Chinese name Lang Shining))
38
15
24
51
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Learn more
What is the ratio of all the palace courts and terraces?
3:2
The Forbidden City - Three Ceremonial Halls (The Palace Museum)
1:3
1:5
3:5
3:2
Learn more
Learn more
How many lions can you find in the Forbidden City?
14
Album Leaf from The Grand Wedding of the Guangxu Emperor (Guangxu dahun tu) (Qingkuan (surname Zhao, 1848–1927) and other painters)
3
7
11
14
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