The Forbidden City

The name Forbidden City is derived from the rule that only the emperors and their court could enter the premises, with the exception of a select students who received the highest scores on a national exam (the "Emperor's Exam")and could enter the city for one day to share their knowledge with the emperor and his advisors. Not even the emperor himself could leave the city except on special occasions since the city was equipped to cover every need.

After the communist revolution, the emperor was expelled from the Forbidden City and the grounds became public property of the People's Republic of China. Knowing this historical transformation is important to understand the grandiosity of the Forbidden City. And when I say grandiosity, I mean it in every sense of the word.

While the most famous landmark in a country doesn't necessarily have to be our favorite, the Forbidden City is one of those places that exceeds all expectations. It's reachable by the subway line 1 (Tiananmen Dong or Tiananmen Xi stations). The main entrance is in the south gate, with most people exiting through the north gate to the Jingshan Park to see the five pavilions.

The best bet is to go early in the morning right when the ticket stands open. That way, you can spend all day exploring the Forbidden City then head up to Jingshan Park to view the city from above. The complex is made

It's wonderful, full of history, and there is a lot to see!

However...I felt like the place could be a little less watched! I didn't feel free to go everywhere I wanted in there, but at the same time it didn't have that magic as the name "Forbidden City" would suggest.

I loved the place, and I think it's really beautiful, but they could allow people to go inside some parts of the palace to make it more real!

If you’re interested in some ancient history, you can check out Forbidden City.