
Forbidden City
Ancient China for Kids
Construction of the Forbidden City began during the middle ages in China, in the year 1406. The construction only took 14 years to build, but it took an estimated one million workers 14 years to build. Inside the complex, there are hundreds of perfect and beautiful buildings. The Forbidden City served as the seat of government for the Ming Dynasty. Today, it is a museum.
The Forbidden City is composed of 800 buildings that have about 9,000 rooms total. Each room has ornate and gorgeous carvings and pieces of art. Each room had a special purpose. The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex. It was more like a city than a palace. The Forbidden City was the home of China's emperors from 1420-1911. During this time period, unless you lived there, or worked there, you had to get special permission to visit the palace. That's why people refer to it as "forbidden". Today, it's a tourist attraction. But once up a time, if you somehow managed to enter the palace without permission, you probably would not leave it alive.
Today, millions of people visit this enormous complex each year and gaze in awe. Thanks to the web, you can enjoy a glimpse of this magnificent achievement - The Forbidden City.

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