Beijing
Forbidden City (Palace Museum)
The palace where emperors lived for over 500 years across the Ming and Qing dynasties, with more than 900 buildings linked by corridors and courtyards. With around 20 million visitors a year, it is the world's busiest museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
Completed in 1420 under the Ming Yongle Emperor, it housed 24 emperors. In 1925 it opened to the public as the “Palace Museum.”
Tips
- ·Arrive early in the morning (it gets very crowded)
- ·Enter from the Tiananmen Square side
- ·Online reservation is required
