Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang

The Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing known as the Forbidden City was inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1987. In 2004, as an extension of the Forbidden City, the Imperial Palace of the Qing Dynasty in Shenyang was also inscribed.

The Beijing Forbidden City is located at the center of Beijing's central axis. It covers an area of approximately 720, 000 square meters, with a building area of about 150, 000 square meters and over 70 palaces of various sizes. It is one of the largest and best-preserved collections of wooden buildings in the world. The Imperial Palace of the early Qing Dynasty is located in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. It covers an area of about 63, 000 square meters, with a building area of about 19, 000 square meters and more than 100 buildings. It is one of the most complete ancient palace complexes in China.

The Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties not only showcase the magnificence and exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Chinese court architecture but also offer important historical testimony to the history of the Qing Dynasty and to the cultural traditions of the Manchu and other tribes in the north of China. They attract numerous visitors from around the world.