The Palace Museum was constructed from 1406 to 1420, and consists of 9046 rooms. For almost 500 years it was the palace for emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties before being open to the public in 1925.

Ancient China’s astronomers correlated the emperor's abode, which they considered the pivot of the terrestrial world, with the Pole Star (Ziwei yuan)—believed to be the center of the heavens. Because of this and restricted access, the palace was called the Forbidden City.

Look closely and you can see dragons on the facade of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Here is the Gate of Heavenly Purity - behind it is was the palace's residential quarters.