You cannot leave Beijing without seeing the Imperial Palace. This is one of Beijing’s greatest treasures. The Gugong or the Imperial Palace was also called the Forbidden City. The Palace has 8700 rooms and halls; The Palace has been undergoing reconstruction for many years. The Palace went on fire in 1987 and reconstruction has been ongoing. The Palace has been dated back to the 1700’s.
The Imperial Palace is surrounded by a moat and then with a 35ft high wall. There are four main gates allowing entry into the compound. The Meridan Gate faces south, this side has the largest gates and it goes into the Outer Courtyard. The Gate of the Divine Warrior faces the north and The East Flowery Gate and The West Flowery Gates face their respective names.
Beijing is filled with many great sites to see. The city has a lot of History just about anything you see has a rich value of history. The Halls of Harmony were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and they were the tallest buildings for that time. The emperors for large banquets and balls used this hall. It is built on a marble foundation; the structure is durable and has stood the test of time.
The Imperial Flower Garden, this is located inside the protective walls of the Imperial Palace. The garden itself is about 12,000 square meters and is guarded by the golden unicorns. The garden is beautifully maintained. It is a great site to see. The Palace of Heavenly Purity was used by the Ming Emperors for their sleeping rooms. It was built in 1420 and over the course of time it has burnt down several times since then but the most current building is from 1798.
There are so many great things to see in Beijing, that seeing them all may prove to be impossible unless you are there for a long time and can plan your sightseeing strategically so you get the full effect of each site.
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