Map of the Forbidden City by blue_sky04
The Forbidden City was home to twenty-four Chinese emperors over 491 years between 1420 and 1911. The Forbidden City is known as the Imperial Palace Museum.The palace is 960 metres long and 750 metres wide, and it has 9,999 rooms. The Palace is surrounded by a moat 3,800 metres long and 52 metres wide. Intruders were discouraged by guards in watchtowers with bow and arrows.
The south entrance of the Forbidden City is the Gate of China (also known as the Gate of Ming in the Ming Dynasty or the Gate of Great Ching in the Ching Dynasty).
A long narrow courtyard connects the Gate of Great China and the Gate of Heavenly Peace (called Tian An Men today or known as the Gate of Receiving Mandate of Heaven in the Ming Dynasty). The Gate of Heavenly Peace leads to the Gate of Correct Demeanor, which is known as Duan Men.
The Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Altar of Land and Grain are located on the east and the west side of this area respectively.
The Meridian Gate is the front entrance of the Forbidden City. Inside the Meridian Gate, the Forbidden City is divided into two parts, the Outer Court and the Inner Court.
- The Inner Court is the residential building and gardens for the imperial family.
It contains the Palace of Heavenly Purity where the Chinese emperor conducted state affairs, the Hall of Union and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility where the empress lived.
On the east and the west, six palaces were built on each side .
- The Outer Court is for holding court and performing ceremonies.
The Gate of Supreme Harmony is the south gate of the Outer Court. Inside the Gate of Supreme Harmony, there are three great halls: the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Complete Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, The north gate of the Outer Court is the Gate of Heavenly Purity, which separates the Outer Court and the Inner Court.