故宫博物院
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is the monumental palace complex at the heart of Beijing's historic central axis. Its courtyards, ceremonial halls and residential compounds reveal how imperial ritual, administration and daily life were organised during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The scale becomes clearer when the visit is treated as a northbound sequence rather than a checklist of isolated halls.
Opening hours
- Fri
- Check official schedule
- Mon
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- Sat
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- Sun
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- Thu
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- Tue
- Check official schedule
- Wed
- Check official schedule
Getting there
Use Tian'anmen East or Tian'anmen West metro station and follow the current pedestrian security route to the Meridian Gate.
Practical notes
Enter with a timed reservation and the same passport used for booking. Most visitors follow the south-to-north route; allow extra time for the side galleries, quieter eastern and western courtyards, and the Imperial Garden rather than stopping only at the three great ceremonial halls.