(chinapic.people.com.cn)

Located in the heart of Beijing, China, the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, shares the honor of being one of five world-famous palaces with the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in England, the White House in the U.S. and the Kremlin in Russia.

It was the imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty, where 24 emperors ascended the throne and exercised their strong power to the nation.

The palace, the most magnificent and splendid palace complex exemplifying traditional Chinese palatial architecture, was listed as a World Cultural Heritage Building in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. The palace complex has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere.