{"id":14039,"date":"2023-10-25T19:00:15","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T18:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monumentsandsights.com\/?p=14039"},"modified":"2023-10-25T19:00:15","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T18:00:15","slug":"when-was-the-forbidden-city-constructed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monumentsandsights.com\/when-was-the-forbidden-city-constructed\/","title":{"rendered":"When Was The Forbidden City Constructed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Forbidden City, located in the heart of modern day Beijing, stands today as a brilliant monument to the opulence and grandeur of one of the world’s greatest empires. Originally built in 1406, the Forbidden City served as the home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties until 1911. It has been home to emperors, empresses, concubines, eunuchs and thousands of servants who were responsible for the upkeep and running of it for hundreds of years. <\/p>\n

The first emperor who decided to build the Forbidden City was Emperor Yongle. During his rule, he had the idea of creating a structure that would symbolize the greatness and power of the Ming dynasty. He was inspired by the ancient Chinese capital of Xian and wanted to create a new capital that was even more elaborate and grand. Yongle enlisted the help of over a million workers to build the Forbidden City, which took 14 years to complete. He also hired thousands of artisans to create the intricate patterns, sculptures, and artwork that can be found throughout the complex. <\/p>\n

The Forbidden City is an incredible feat of architecture that was built in the traditional Chinese architectural style. The complex consists of 980 buildings, including halls, pavilions, temples, and galleries that served as the administrative, religious, and entertainment centers of old Beijing. It is also one of the largest palace complexes in the world. Each building is intricately decorated with colorful paintings, elaborate sculptures and patterned tiles. This made it so that the Forbidden City was not only a statement of political power but also a site of great artistic and cultural heritage. <\/p>\n

One of the most notable features of the Forbidden City is the magnificent walls and gates. The perimeter walls measure nearly 4 kilometers in length and include four gates that are guarded by magnificent stone lions. There are also four courtyards inside the walls which are used for ceremonial events, religious rituals, and as places for the emperor to receive visitors. These gates also serve as the primary entrances to the palace complex and were carefully designed to ensure the privacy and safety of its inhabitants. <\/p>\n