The biggest palace complex in the world: for Chinese culture literally meant the center of the world. No one could enter this area, all complex was ultimately built for emperor with his affiliances.

Tian anmen gate to enter the Forbidden city

Division from the surrounding city is by 50m broad moat and 10m high red walls. As Chinese symbolism shows, the palace included 9 999,5 rooms (10 000 was an ideal number, only god could have it, so the Forbidden city consisted of 0,5 room less). All front facades of important buildings (also the main entrance) are oriented towards south: in this way the Forbidden city wanted to turn their back to enemies from north and cold winds from Siberia.

It took 14 years to build the city and based on symbolism, the city was entirely geometrically designed. Chinese culture focuses on the importance of harmony in any construction/ project made: Forbidden city contains a significant arrangement of magic places: Hall of supreme harmony, Hall of highest harmony and Hall of preserving harmony, as well as 3 buddhas- representing the past, present, future.

The whole complex could host more than 10 000 inhabitants, about 3 000 of which were eunuchs and undefined number of emperor´s concubines. The entrance to the Forbidden city was through 5 marble bridges, where the middle one could have been used only by emperor.

Hall of supreme harmony

Big decorated stone slab: made from 1 piece of solid stone. Noone could walk on the stone and as tradition says, noone ever did. Just the emperor had been carried over it on the way to the palace. The stone was brought to Beijing pulled by 20.000 men and horses in winter, in amazingly cold conditions because only in this way they could use the rolling ice under the stone to move it. It took them 22 days to pass 50km to Beijing.