The Forbidden City (or better known as Gugong in Chinese) in Beijing was the seats of Emperors in China for almost 500 years during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. During these lengthy periods, ordinary citizens were not allowed inside, hence the name Forbidden City. Today, the Forbidden City is opened to the general public and the palace becomes a must see for tourists visiting Beijing City.

The Forbidden City is listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site for being the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. Within the Forbidden City are extensive collections of rare artworks, imperial treasures and marvelous architectural designs.

The design of the Forbidden City was meticulously planned to reflect religious and ancient oriental themes such as the extensive use of the yellow color, which was the color of the Emperor in ancient China. In addition, Buddhism and Taoism themes are prevalent in the design of the Forbidden City as religions played an important role for the Emperors.   

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