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Forbidden City

Gate of Supreme Harmony I

The Forbidden City was the imperial palace of the Ming and the Qing dynasties. It was started to build in 1406. The emperor of the Ming dynasty moved the capital here from Nanjing in 1421. Till the Last Emperor issued an abdication in 1911, totally 24 emperors carried out their power and lived in this palace. The structure of Imperial Palace is magnificent. There are about 10,000 rooms and covers an area of 720,000 square meters. Using a distinctive central axis, all the structures are completely free from the sense of being crowd and clumsy. With its perfect architectural art, large quantity of historic relics and embodiment of rich culture, the former Imperial Palace has become the symbol of ancient Chinese civilization.

Gate of Supreme Harmony II

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Bronze Crane	Guard Lion
Golden Throne	Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony
Carved Gate	West Palace
Hall of Central Harmony	Palace in Backlighting