LyingatthecenterofBeijing，theForbiddenCity，calledGuGong，inChinese，wastheimperialpalaceduringtheMingandQingdynasties.NowknownasthePalaceMuseum，itistothenorthofTiananmenSquare.Rectangularinshape，itistheworld‘slargestpalacecomplexandcovers74hectares.Surroundedbyasixmeterdeepmoatandatenmeterhighwallare9，999buildings.Thewallhasagateoneachside.OppositetheTiananmenGate，tothenorthistheGateofDevineMight，whichfacesJingshanPark.Thedistancebetweenthesetwogatesis960meters，whilethedistancebetweenthegatesintheeastandwestwallsis750meters.Thereareuniqueanddelicatelystructuredtowersoneachofthefourcornersofthecurtainwall.Theseaffordviewsoverboththepalaceandthecityoutside.TheForbiddenCityisdividedintotwoparts.Thesouthernsection，ortheOuterCourtwaswheretheemperorexercisedhissupremepoweroverthenation.Thenorthernsection，ortheInnerCourtwaswherehelivedwithhisroyalfamily.Until1924whenthelastemperorofChinawasdrivenfromtheInnerCourt，fourteenemperorsoftheMingdynastyandtenemperorsoftheQingdynastyhadreignedhere.Havingbeentheimperialpalaceforsomefivecenturies，ithousesnumerousraretreasuresandcuriosities.ListedbyUNESCOasaWorldCulturalHeritageSitein1987，thePalaceMuseumisnowoneofthemostpopulartouristattractionsworldwide.
