.jpg){kind=link}
Forbidden City
故宫 · Donghuamen Subdistrict
Chinese imperial palace in Beijing
Contents
9 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Forbidden City2:18
Welcome to the Forbidden City, the largest and most complete collection of wooden architecture on the planet. For over five centuries, this massive complex served as the absolute center of the Chinese world, the seat of…
Listen in the app2The Meridian Gate — The Entrance to Mystery1:46
Standing before the Meridian Gate, or Wu Men, you are facing the tallest and most imposing entrance to the Forbidden City, reaching the height of a twelve-story building. This U-shaped structure was the primary gateway where the…
Listen in the app3The Inner Golden River and Bridge of Supreme Harmony1:31
Emerging into the first great courtyard, you are met by the Inner Golden River, which snakes across the space in a shape resembling a dragon—or, as some architects suggest, a bow and arrow designed to protect the emperor. Five…
Listen in the app4The Hall of Supreme Harmony — The Throne of the Dragon1:38
You now stand before the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the most important and grandest building in the Forbidden City. Sitting atop a three-tiered white marble terrace, this hall was the heart of the empire's administrative power. …
Listen in the app5The Great Marble Carving — A 300-Ton Masterpiece1:28
Behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony lies one of the city's most incredible engineering feats: the Large Stone Carving. This single slab of marble is sixteen meters long and weighs roughly three hundred tons—the equivalent of…
Listen in the app6The Inner Court — Secrets of the Women's Realm1:33
Passing through the Gate of Heavenly Purity, you enter the Inner Court, the domestic heart of the empire where the emperor’s private life unfolded. This area was strictly off-limits to all adult males except the emperor and the…
Listen in the app7The Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Secret Succession1:20
The Palace of Heavenly Purity, or Qianqing Gong, served as the emperor's primary residence during the Ming and early Qing dynasties. Inside, there are twenty-seven beds scattered across the various rooms, a defensive measure to…
Listen in the app8The Imperial Garden — A Place of Reflection and Selection1:25
At the northern end of the palace complex lies the Imperial Garden, a sanctuary of ancient trees, rockeries, and elegant pavilions. This was one of the few places where the palace women could enjoy a sense of nature, though still…
Listen in the app9Closing1:18
As you exit through the Gate of Divine Might, or Shenwu Gate, you leave behind six hundred years of imperial history. Since 1924, this once-forbidden sanctuary has been known as the Palace Museum, a transition that was often…
Listen in the app
What is Forbidden City?
Forbidden City is a place in Donghuamen Subdistrict with 9 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Donghuamen Subdistrict |
|---|---|
| Type | Activity |
| Story sections | 9 |
| Total length | 14 min 17 s in all |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 39.9158, 116.3908 |
| Last updated |
Nearby places
within a 5-minute walk
Hall of Supreme HarmonyHeritage8 sections
The Palace MuseumActivity10 sections
Meridian GateHeritage8 sections
Palace of Earthly TranquilityHeritage8 sections
Beijing ShejitanHeritage6 sections
The Palace MuseumHeritage5 sections
Imperial Ancestral TempleHeritage8 sections
Meridian Gate (Wu Men)Heritage7 sections