Palace · Beijing, China
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is the imperial palace complex in the center of the Imperial City in Beijing, China. Built 1420. It drew 19,300,000 visitors in 2019.
Photo: Pixelflake via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Beijing, China |
|---|---|
| Type | Palace |
| Built | 1420 |
| Architect | Kuai Xiang |
| Area | Area: 0.72 km² |
| Annual visitors (2019) | 19,300,000 |
| Coordinates | 39.9158° N, 116.3908° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Forbidden City is known for
The Forbidden City is the imperial palace complex in the center of the Imperial City in Beijing, China.
About Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is the imperial palace complex in the center of the Imperial City in Beijing, China. It was the residence of twenty-four Ming and Qing dynasty Emperors and was the center of political power in China from 1420 to 1924. The palace is now administered by the Palace Museum and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
History
When the Hongwu Emperor's son Zhu Di became the Yongle Emperor, he moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, and construction began in 1406 on what would become the Forbidden City. Construction lasted 14 years and required more than a million workers. Material used included whole logs of precious Phoebe zhennan wood (楠木; nánmù) found in the jungles of southwestern China, and large blocks of marble from quarries near Beijing.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Forbidden City website — the official site has the current visiting information.
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October — mild weather; winter is cold and summer hot and crowded.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Beijing |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Beijing Nanyuan Airport (NAY) |
| Distance from the airport | 9.2 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) · Beijing, China · 15.6 miles away
- Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) · Beijing, China · 28.7 miles away
- Tianjin Binhai International Airport (TSN) · Tianjin, China · 74.7 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
Where to stay nearby
Places to stay near Forbidden City, with a link to each place's own site.
- The Peninsula Beijing · Wangfujing, Beijing
Luxury hotel near the Forbidden City
- Hotel Cote Cour Beijing · Dongcheng, Beijing
Courtyard hotel in the old city
Where to eat nearby
Places to eat near Forbidden City, with a link to each place's own site.
- Da Dong Roast Duck · Dongsi Shitiao, Beijing
Famous Peking duck restaurant
- TRB Hutong · Dongcheng, Beijing
European fine dining in a hutong
More landmarks in China
More palaces
Frequently asked questions
What is Forbidden City?
The Forbidden City is the imperial palace complex in the center of the Imperial City in Beijing, China.
Where is Forbidden City located?
Forbidden City is in Beijing, China. Its coordinates are 39.9158° N, 116.3908° E.
How do I get to Forbidden City?
The nearest town is Beijing, and the nearest airport is Beijing Nanyuan Airport (NAY), about 9.2 miles away (straight line).
When is the best time to visit Forbidden City?
April to June and September to October — mild weather; winter is cold and summer hot and crowded.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_City — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q80290 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.dpm.org.cn — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
- https://en.dpm.org.cn/ — Official tourism / managing-body page — best time to visit.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.