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Beijing Attractions · Ming-Qing Imperial Palace

The Forbidden City (故宫)
600 years of empire, and the largest palace on earth

Around 980 buildings, 24 emperors, deep red walls and a moat at the centre of Beijing — the most complete imperial palace surviving anywhere. Here is the route that does it justice, the tickets and the strict booking rule, and the photo spot everyone passes on by word of mouth.

Why it matters

Six centuries of power, on one site

You walk through a gate of deep vermilion as tall as a six-storey building, cross a stone courtyard that runs to the edge of sight, and the golden-roofed throne halls reveal themselves one at a time. This is where the emperors of China ruled for nearly five hundred years, and where ordinary people simply could not enter — which is how it earned the name the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City (故宫 Gùgōng) was completed in 1420 under the Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty, and served as the home and seat of government for 24 emperors across the Ming and Qing. Across roughly 72 hectares it holds more than 980 buildings and close to 9,000 rooms, making it the largest and most complete wooden palace complex in the world. Today it is the Palace Museum, home to over a million imperial artefacts, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

The whole plan follows a strict north–south central axis, divided into two main parts: the Outer Court, used for ceremonies and affairs of state, with its three great halls lined up along the axis, and the Inner Court, the private residence of the emperor, empress and concubines. The key practical point is that everyone moves one way, south to north — you enter only through the Meridian Gate in the south and leave only through the Gate of Divine Prowess in the north.

The route through

Six stops along the central axis you should not skip

Walk them south to north in this order — you get both the scale and the detail.

The Forbidden City, Beijing, seen from above — the sea of golden palace rooftops lined up along the central axis in late-afternoon light 1
The Meridian Gate (午门 Wǔmén)
The palace's only entrance · where the route begins

You enter through the Meridian Gate on the south side — a vast U-shaped gate, around 38 metres tall, from which emperors once reviewed troops and announced major edicts. Standing at the threshold looking in, you start to feel how the architecture is designed to make a person small. Just inside, the Golden Water River curves in the shape of a bow across the first courtyard, crossed by five white marble bridges.

Location: Far south, beside Tiananmen Square — scan your passport here to enter
Tip: Arrive before the 8.30 am opening to get the empty courtyards before the crowds
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The Three Great Halls (Outer Court)
Supreme Harmony, Central Harmony, Preserving Harmony · the heart of state

Beyond the Gate of Supreme Harmony lies the largest courtyard in the palace, able to hold tens of thousands. At its far end stands the Hall of Supreme Harmony (太和殿), the largest wooden building in the complex, raised on a three-tiered marble terrace — the setting for the most important ceremonies, including coronations and imperial weddings. Behind it, the Hall of Central Harmony (中和殿) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony (保和殿) continue along the axis. Look up at the small procession of mythical animal figures running down each roof ridge: the more important the building, the more of them there are.

Location: Centre of the palace, on the north–south axis past the Meridian Gate
Tip: Climb onto the marble terrace and look back — the full scale of the courtyard opens up
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The Inner Court
Palace of Heavenly Purity and beyond · where the court actually lived

Past the Hall of Preserving Harmony you cross into the private residential quarter, where the buildings shrink and the mood turns more intimate. The Palace of Heavenly Purity (乾清宫) was the emperor's residence and working quarters, followed by the Hall of Union and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, used by the empress. This is where the real life of the court played out — its politics, its rituals and the palace intrigues that have since filled countless television dramas. Smaller residences of the imperial consorts line the eastern and western flanks.

Location: Northern half of the palace, beyond the three great halls
Tip: Detour into the eastern and western side palaces if you have time — far quieter than the axis
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The Imperial Garden (御花园 Yùhuāyuán)
The private garden at the end of the axis · before the exit gate

Near the northern end sits the Imperial Garden, a green, shaded retreat the court used to rest in — pavilions, ancient cypresses several hundred years old, strangely shaped ornamental rocks and a small artificial hill, all in deliberate contrast to the hard geometry of the rest of the palace. It is the best place to rest your legs before walking out the north gate, and the most relaxed corner of the whole complex to photograph.

Location: End of the central axis to the north, before the Gate of Divine Prowess
Tip: By the time you reach here you are usually tired — sit under a cypress for a while
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Treasure & Clock Galleries (extra ticket)
珍宝馆 Treasure Gallery · 钟表馆 Clock Gallery · eastern wing

In the Palace of Tranquil Longevity area on the eastern side, two exhibition galleries require a separate ticket — and they are well worth it. The Treasure Gallery (珍宝馆) displays the court's gold, jade, gemstones and ceremonial finery, while the Clock Gallery (钟表馆) shows the jewelled mechanical clocks emperors collected from around the world, several of which still run and are demonstrated at set times. This same zone also contains the magnificent glazed-ceramic Nine-Dragon Wall.

Admission: Around ¥10 each (confirm before you go), bought on top of the main ticket
Location: Eastern wing of the palace · the Clock Gallery runs timed demonstrations
Tiananmen Gate and the red walls of the Forbidden City, Beijing — the southern approach to the imperial palace 6
Gate of Divine Prowess (神武门) & Jingshan Park
The north exit · then the best viewpoint in the city

The only way out is the Gate of Divine Prowess on the north side. Once you step out, do not leave straight away — across the road is Jingshan Park (景山公园), an artificial hill built from the earth dug out of the palace moat. Walk up to the summit pavilion, about 10 minutes, and you look straight down the central axis over the entire sea of golden palace rooftops. This is the postcard photo everyone wants, and the best possible way to close the visit.

Gate of Divine Prowess: You exit here — there is no going back into the palace
Jingshan Park: Admission ~¥2 · best light in late afternoon before sunset
The killer tip: Plan to enter the palace in the afternoon and walk out the north gate up Jingshan just as the light turns — you get the whole palace bathed in gold.
Before you go

Tickets, hours and the booking rule

The single most important thing here is that you must book ahead — read this before you plan anything.

Admission
¥60 high season / ¥40 low season
¥60 (~฿300 / ~US$8.50) 1 Apr–31 Oct · ¥40 (~฿200) 1 Nov–31 Mar · Treasure Gallery + Clock Gallery around ¥10 each extra (confirm before you go)
⚠️ Must book ahead
Online only — no tickets at the gate
Tickets are released 7 days in advance at 20:00 Beijing time through the official system (Palace Museum site / WeChat), booked with your passport number. They sell out fast in high season.
Opening hours
8.30 am · closed Mondays
High season closes 5 pm (last entry 4 pm) · low season closes 4.30 pm (last entry 3.30 pm) · closed every Monday except public holidays
Subway
Line 1 · Tiananmen East / West
Alight at Tiananmen East (天安门东) or West (天安门西) and walk across the square to the Meridian Gate, around 10–15 minutes
Time needed
3–4 hours (axis) / a full day to see it all
Central axis alone is 3–4 hours · add the Treasure and Clock galleries and the side palaces and allow 5–6 hours. Wear comfortable shoes — there is a lot of walking.
When to avoid
Golden Week (1–7 Oct) + weekends
Golden Week is the busiest week of the year and tickets sell out for the whole period. Choose a weekday, go early, and avoid Chinese holidays whenever you can.
Worth knowing: Booking through the official Palace Museum system is the cheapest option (¥60/¥40), but it needs a passport number and you have to book from 20:00, 7 days ahead. If you miss the window or would rather not deal with it, guided tours on Klook usually bundle the ticket and admission for you — see Forbidden City tours on Klook →
Plan your visit

Getting in and out, and what to pair it with

The Forbidden City sits right at the centre of Beijing and is easy to reach by subway — but remember it is enter from the south, exit to the north, so your way in and your way out are on opposite sides of the palace.

Arriving: the south (Meridian Gate)
Subway Line 1 · Tiananmen East / West

Alight at Tiananmen East or West and walk across Tiananmen Square, through Tiananmen Gate itself, to reach the Meridian Gate in about 10–15 minutes. You scan your passport at the Meridian Gate — and remember this is the only way in.

Subway fare: ¥3–5 · Walk from station: ~10–15 min
Leaving: the north (Gate of Divine Prowess)
Then Jingshan, or a taxi/bus

You exit by the Gate of Divine Prowess in the north. There is no subway station right outside this gate — the best move is to cross the road and go up Jingshan for the view, then catch a taxi or DiDi, or walk to the nearest subway station.

Jingshan Park: directly across the road · Taxi/DiDi: easy to hail by the north gate
Pair it with Tiananmen Square
Square + gate + palace in one morning

Since the way in already takes you across Tiananmen Square, start your morning at the square — one of the largest in the world — catch the flag-raising ceremony if you arrive in time, then carry straight on into the palace. That covers both in your first half-day.

Total time: morning to early afternoon · Note: the square has security checks, carry your passport
Full-day plan: palace + Jingshan + hutongs
Morning square → afternoon palace → evening Jingshan → hutongs

With a full day: Tiananmen Square in the morning, the palace from late morning into the afternoon, out the north gate and up Jingshan as the light softens, then down into the old hutong lanes (Nanluoguxiang is close by), finishing the day over a Peking duck dinner.

Total time: full day · Budget: ¥80–150 per person including admission and food
Where to stay nearby

Hotels within reach of the imperial palace

Staying in Wangfujing or Qianmen puts you a walk or a few subway stops from the palace gate. Some travellers prefer a traditional hutong courtyard house in the surrounding lanes, so they can reach the palace early before the crowds build. Here are the hotels we have reviewed in the area:

8 Hotels Near the Forbidden City
Wangfujing · Qianmen · hutong courtyards — a walk or a few subway stops from the palace gate
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Frequently asked

FAQ · Before you visit the Forbidden City

How much are Forbidden City tickets and do I need to book in advance?
Adult admission is ¥60 (~฿300) in high season (1 April–31 October) and ¥40 (~฿200) in low season (1 November–31 March). You must book online in advance through the official system — there are no tickets sold at the gate. Tickets are released 7 days ahead at 20:00 Beijing time, booked using your passport number, and you scan your passport to enter. The Treasure Gallery (珍宝馆) and Clock Gallery (钟表馆) each require a separate ticket of around ¥10 (confirm before you go).
What day is the Forbidden City closed and what are the opening hours?
It is closed every Monday, except on Chinese public holidays (when a public-holiday Monday is open, it usually closes the following Tuesday instead). It opens at 8.30 am. In high season (April–October) it closes at 5 pm with last entry at 4 pm; in low season (November–March) it closes at 4.30 pm with last entry at 3.30 pm. The Treasure and Clock galleries have a last entry about 10 minutes later.
How do I get to the Forbidden City by subway?
The entrance is the Meridian Gate (午门) on the south side, beside Tiananmen Square. Take Subway Line 1 to Tiananmen East (天安门东) or Tiananmen West (天安门西), then walk across the square for about 10–15 minutes. The palace is one-way south to north — you exit through the Gate of Divine Prowess (神武门) in the north, which has no subway station directly outside, so you walk to a bus stop or take a taxi or DiDi from there.
How long do I need to visit the Forbidden City?
Allow at least 3–4 hours for the central axis (Meridian Gate, the three great halls, the Inner Court, the Imperial Garden, then out the Gate of Divine Prowess). If you add the Treasure Gallery, the Clock Gallery and the eastern and western side palaces, plan for a full 5–6 hours. The complex is vast and involves a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes and carry water.
Where do I get the postcard view of the Forbidden City rooftops?
Exit through the Gate of Divine Prowess on the north side, cross the road and enter Jingshan Park (景山公园). Walk up the central hill for about 10 minutes to the summit pavilion, and you look straight down the central axis over the whole sea of golden palace rooftops — the best skyline photo in Beijing. Jingshan admission is around ¥2, and the light is best in late afternoon before sunset.
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Klook · Forbidden City Tours

Missed the booking window? A guided tour bundles the ticket and entry

The official Palace Museum ticket is the cheapest (¥60/¥40), but you have to book 7 days ahead and it sells out fast in high season. If you miss the window or want a guide to tell the history, tours on Klook usually include the ticket and get you in.

See Forbidden City tours on Klook →
Wherebest is an affiliate partner of Klook — we may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.