Forbidden City, China

In the past, the emperor was given Heaven's highest authority because it was believed that he was a son of Paradise. As an earthly replica of the celestial Purple Palace or the North Star, the emperor's residence was built facing north with the intention of housing the Celestial Emperor. The name "Forbidden City" refers to the fact that it was obviously forbidden to commoners as a sacred site.

Emperor Yongle usurped the throne from his nephew. He made the decision to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing in order to bolster his imperial authority and protect his personal safety. As a result, Emperor Yongle gave Kuai Xiang the job of building Beijing's Forbidden City. There are a few side gardens with interesting halls to explore.

The Forbidden City, located in Beijing, is a city within a city. It is not so much a single building as it is a complex that houses nearly a thousand buildings. While most people are familiar with its iconic gates, the complex itself spans 72 hectares and was originally commissioned in the early 15th century by an emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Despite the fact that it took only fourteen years to construct, it has served as the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for over 500 years.

Because of the religious and philosophical significance of the complex, its architecture is heavily symbolic, with elements like the inner and outer halls being arranged in groups of three to signify the Qian triangle. The statuettes on the roofs of the buildings indicate their significance with their heavenly implications. The complex used to be a very much-forbidden city, but it is now accessible to the general public, which is fantastic if we can ever travel again.

Completed: 1925
Function: Palace
Architect: Kuai Xiang (1398 – 1481)
Location: Beijing, China