The Forbidden City

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The aforementioned Forbidden City is the literal center of Beijing, as the surrounding metropolis was built around it. It served as the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and it is the largest palace complex in the world, covering 178 acres. It receives an astounding seven million visitors a year, making it the most popular tourist site in all of China.

The complex is under a massive two-part renovation. Phase one will be complete in time for the 2008 Olympics; phase two is slated to last through 2020. As a result, many portions of the complex will be inevitably closed throughout the years. But the good news is, in a palace complex this large, there will always be interesting things to see. No visitor to Beijing should miss an opportunity to tour the Imperial China of old represented at the Forbidden City.

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Related Beijing - City Overview Articles

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• Beijing - City Overview
• Navigating the City
• The Forbidden City
• Dong Cheng
• Chao Yang
• Chong Wen
• Xi Cheng and Xuan Wu
• Feng Tai and Hai Dian
• The Summer Palace
• Important Excursions Outside Beijing