The Forbidden City is visited one way, south to north: in through the Meridian Gate, across the three great ceremonial halls, through the emperors’ private palaces and the Imperial Garden, and out by the Gate of Divine Prowess. Plan about three hours, or a half day with the Treasure and Clock galleries, then cross the street to Jingshan Park for the view back over the roofs.
- Time needed: 2 hours for the central axis, about 3 hours for most visitors, a half day or more with galleries
- Route: enter only by the Meridian Gate (south); exit north to Jingshan Park or east
- Tickets: released online at 20:00 Beijing time, 7 days ahead; book with your passport; see our Forbidden City tickets guide
- Opening hours: November–March 8:30–16:30, last entry 15:30 (as of November 2026)
- Closed: Mondays, except national public holidays
- Getting there: Metro Line 1, Tian’anmen East or Tian’anmen West station
A palace for 24 emperors
Built between 1406 and 1420 under the Ming Yongle emperor, the palace was home to 14 Ming and 10 Qing emperors over 505 years. It became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. The palace is a walled rectangle 961 m from south to north and 753 m from east to west, with 10 m walls, a 52 m moat and one gate on each side.
Each gate frames the courtyard beyond it, and the yellow-glazed roofs keep stepping north ahead of you along Beijing’s central axis. Come early on a clear autumn or winter morning and the stone courtyards are cool and quiet, the red walls glow, and you can hear your own footsteps on the paving.
The route, south to north
The museum’s own 2-hour route follows the central axis. Here is what you pass, in order.
- Meridian Gate (Wumen): the only entrance. Its wings reach forward to enclose a vast forecourt, and you pass your ticket check beneath it.
- Gate of Supreme Harmony: beyond a broad courtyard crossed by the curving Golden Water River, guarded by bronze lions. As of November 2026 the gate itself has been closed for restoration since 3 August 2026, with no reopening date announced, and travelers report a marked route around it.
- Hall of Supreme Harmony: the grandest hall in the palace, raised on tiers of white marble terraces, with the throne used for enthronements and the great court ceremonies.
- Hall of Central Harmony: a smaller square hall where the emperor paused before ceremonies.
- Hall of Preserving Harmony: used for imperial banquets and, in the Qing dynasty, the final palace examinations. Behind it, look for the great carved marble ramp between the staircases.
- Palace of Heavenly Purity: the first hall of the inner court, where the emperor’s private world begins.
- Hall of Union: a compact hall that held the imperial seals.
- Palace of Earthly Tranquility: the empress’s palace in the Ming dynasty.
- Imperial Garden: old cypresses, rockeries and pavilions, and a good bench for a rest before you leave.
- Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen): the north exit, facing Jingshan Park across the street.
You can also leave by the East Prosperity Gate, but the north gate is the one to choose if you plan to climb Jingshan afterward.
Galleries and side palaces worth adding
Off the central axis, the side courtyards hold the extra-ticket galleries and the smaller palaces where empresses and consorts lived.
Treasure Gallery
On the east side, the Palace of Tranquil Longevity area holds the Treasure Gallery, together with the Gallery of Qing Imperial Opera and the Stone Drum Gallery. It needs a small extra ticket booked with your entrance ticket. It makes a pleasant loop off the main axis, with its own gates, courtyards and garden.
Gallery of Clocks
The Hall for Ancestral Worship (Fengxian Dian) holds the clock collection, also on an extra ticket. Children who glaze over at halls and thrones often love this one.
The Six Eastern and Western Palaces
These smaller courtyards on either side of the inner court were the living quarters of empresses and consorts. The museum’s half-day routes add them to the walk. The Palace of Prolonged Happiness reopened on 1 November 2026 after works but closed again under a museum notice of 4 November 2026, with no reopening date given. The donated-relics exhibition at the Palace of Great Benevolence runs until 15 October 2028.
On the west side, the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuying Hall) has been closed since 19 October 2026 for restoration and an exhibition upgrade, so its galleries are off the route for now.
Tell us your dates, group size and what you would like to see. We reply with a day-by-day plan and a written quote.
How long to spend
| Time | What you see |
|---|---|
| 2 hours | The central axis, Meridian Gate to Gate of Divine Prowess |
| About 3 hours | The axis at an easy pace, plus one side courtyard |
| Half day | The axis, the Treasure or Clock gallery, and the Six Eastern or Western Palaces |
| Full day | Both galleries, the side palaces and the exhibitions |
For most first-time visitors, about three hours inside is right, and that is the time the Beijing tourism portal suggests. Your ticket is for a morning or an afternoon session. Morning ticket holders must pass the ticket check by 12:00, and afternoon ticket holders can enter from 11:00. From November to March last entry is 15:30, and from April to October it is 16:00, so a winter afternoon ticket gives a shorter visit. The galleries take last entry ten minutes after the main gate.
Getting in, passports and photo rules
- Getting in: take Metro Line 1 to Tian’anmen East or Tian’anmen West, then walk north through Tiananmen and Duanmen to the Meridian Gate. That walkway is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00–16:00. Coming across Tiananmen Square needs its own free reservation; see our Tiananmen Square guide.
- By car: the museum has no car park, so agree a drop-off near the square and a pick-up near Jingshan.
- Passport: bring the original passport your ticket was booked with.
- Photos: outdoors for personal use, yes. Inside halls with their original interiors, no, and no flash or tripods in the exhibitions.
- Rules: no smoking anywhere in the museum, and no pets.
- Mondays: the museum is closed, except on national public holidays. If Monday is your only free day, the Lama Temple and the Temple of Heaven grounds stay open.
After the palace: the view from Jingshan
Step out of the Gate of Divine Prowess and Jingshan Park is right in front of you. A climb of about 15 minutes brings you to Wanchun Pavilion, the highest point on Beijing’s central axis; travelers report that the path from the west gate takes about five minutes but is steps all the way. From the top, the golden roofs you have just walked beneath stretch away to the south in rows, and the White Dagoba of Beihai stands to the west.
As of November 2026, the park ticket is CNY 2, rising to CNY 10 during exhibition periods such as the flower shows, and visitors 60 and over can often exchange their passport for a ticket at the entrance. Our Jingshan and Beihai Park guide covers the park and the lake next door.
Seeing it with a guide
Our Forbidden City private tour includes the entrance reservation, Tiananmen Square and the Jingshan climb, with your own English-speaking guide and a private car or van with a driver, just your group. You set the pace, sit down whenever you like and skip a courtyard if knees need a rest. There are no shopping stops. If you have a few days, the 3-day private Beijing tour pairs the palace with the Great Wall and the Temple of Heaven, and our list of things to do in Beijing has the rest of the city.
Tell us your dates, group size and what you would like to see. We reply with a day-by-day plan and a written quote.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you need at the Forbidden City?
The museum's shortest route along the central axis takes about 2 hours, and the Beijing tourism portal suggests about 3 hours. Add the Treasure or Clock gallery and the Six Eastern or Western Palaces and it becomes a half day. A full day covers both galleries and the exhibitions.
Which gate do you enter the Forbidden City by?
Only the Meridian Gate, on the south side. The route has run one way, south to north, since 2 July 2011. You leave by the Gate of Divine Prowess in the north, which faces Jingshan Park, or by the East Prosperity Gate. The West Prosperity Gate is for staff only.
What are the main halls to see?
Along the central axis you pass the Gate of Supreme Harmony (closed for restoration since August 2026, with a marked route around it), the three great halls of Supreme, Central and Preserving Harmony, then the inner court: the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, ending in the Imperial Garden.
Are the Treasure Gallery and Clock Gallery worth it?
For most visitors with time to spare, yes. The Treasure Gallery sits in the Palace of Tranquil Longevity area with the Gallery of Qing Imperial Opera and the Stone Drum Gallery, and the Gallery of Clocks is in Fengxian Dian. Each needs an extra ticket booked with your entrance ticket.
Is anything closed at the Forbidden City right now?
As of November 2026, the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuying Hall) has been closed since 19 October 2026 for restoration and an exhibition upgrade. The Gate of Supreme Harmony has been closed for restoration since 3 August 2026, and the Palace of Prolonged Happiness closed again on 4 November 2026. The museum is closed on Mondays, except national public holidays.
Can you take photos inside the Forbidden City?
Yes, outdoors and for personal use. Photography is not allowed inside halls that keep their original interiors, and flash and tripods are not allowed in the exhibitions. Smoking is banned throughout the museum, and pets are not allowed.
What is the best view of the Forbidden City?
From Wanchun Pavilion at the top of Jingshan Park, the highest point on Beijing's central axis. The park faces the north exit, and the climb takes about 15 minutes, or about five on the steps from the west gate. You look south over the golden roofs, with Beihai's White Dagoba to the west.
Facts checked: 5 November 2026. Ticket prices, opening hours and entry rules can change; we re-check before every booking.