Forbidden City/Tiananmen

Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is one of the great palaces of the world right up there with Buckingham Palace, the Kremlin and the White House.

It is located in central Beijing, right across busy Chang’an Avenue, the city’s main drag, from Tiananmen Square.

The Forbidden City, known as the Palace Museum or GuGong in China, is a huge complex as befitting the home of China’s imperial family and seat of government for many centuries. It has more than 9,000 rooms, though most are not open to the public. The major buildings down the center are the ceremonial halls where the emperor greeted guests and conducted affairs of state.

The crowds at the Forbidden City can be so intense that sometimes it’s difficult to peek into the halls. Wise tourists won’t fight the crowds but will gravitate to the buildings along the walls. These rooms contain thousands of exhibits explaining China’s history and heritage. These rooms are worth a visit. At the north end of the Forbidden City, you’ll find peaceful gardens and the concubines’ quarters.

While signage is in English as well as Chinese, sometimes it’s difficult to get close enough to read it. British actor Roger Moore, who played James Bond in seven movies, narrated a tape that allows you to explore this complex at your own pace. The tapes can only be rented at the south entrance, which is the main entrance to the Forbidden City.

Travel tip: If you exit at the north end of the Forbidden City, ignore the taxis waiting just outside the gate. They want beaucoup money to take you for a few blocks. Go out to the street, walk a half block or so and flag down a metered taxi.

Rubbing the knobs on the entrance door is said to bring good luck.

Colorful buildings

Bad hair day at the Forbidden City.

Tiananmen Square

Monument to the People's Liberation Army

Tiananmen Square is one of the most famous squares in the world.

The square is huge, the size of 100 soccer fields. If you get off the Line 2 subway at Qianmen at the south end and walk to the north end, you’ll know you’ve been on a walk.

Mao Zedong's mausoleum is south of the Obelisk, while the Great Hall of the People, where China's congress meets, is west of Tiananmen.

Tiananmen is the heart and soul of Beijing. People gather here for happy and sad occasions. It’s been the site of student demonstrations for decades, including the one that ended in tragedy in 1989.

At the north end, cross under the street to visit the Forbidden City

Travel tip: Tiananmen is a popular spot to fly kites when it’s windy. You’ll be approached by hawkers to buy one, but the asking price will be outright extortion! Buy one some place else and take it to Tiananmen.