For over 600 years, the high vermillion walls of Beijing’s Forbidden City hid the secrets of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Built between 1406 and 1420, the Forbidden City took over one million laborers and approximately 100,000 architects, engineers, artisans, and craft people to complete.
This walk is the simplest and most straightforward way to see the Forbidden City, proceeding from the Meridian Gate in the front, down the main central axis, and exiting at the northern end of the palace across the street from Jingshan Park. Most people (too many people?) take this route, but it’s only a starting point for exploring this massive palace.