概览
故宫始建于明永乐十八年（1420 年）[1]，是明清两代的皇宫，旧称紫禁城。它占地 72 万平方米，有大小宫殿七十多座、房屋九千余间，是世界上现存规模最大、保存最完整的木质结构古建筑群，1987 年被列入世界文化遗产名录[2]。整座城池沿一条南北中轴线严格对称展开，外朝与内廷分区明确，黄色琉璃瓦与朱红宫墙构成了中国古代建筑最经典的颜色体系。
历史沿革
明永乐四年（1406 年），朱棣下诏以南京故宫为蓝本营建北京宫殿，历时十四年落成，此后明清两代共有二十四位皇帝在此居住理政[1]。1911 年辛亥革命后，末代皇帝溥仪仍居内廷十余年，1924 年迁出，次年故宫博物院正式成立[1]，紫禁城自此从皇家禁地变为公共博物馆。六百年间，故宫历经雷火焚毁与重建，太和殿等主要建筑多为清代康熙、乾隆年间重建或重修，但整体格局完整保留了明初的规划原貌。
建筑看点
中轴线上的外朝三大殿是故宫的精华：太和殿是现存最大的木构殿宇，皇帝登基、大婚、万寿大典均在此举行；中和殿是皇帝大典前的休息之所；保和殿则用于宴请与殿试。三大殿以北的内廷后三宫——乾清宫、交泰殿、坤宁宫——是帝后起居之地。其他不容错过的看点包括：造型精巧的护城河角楼、宁寿宫区域的九龙壁、收藏清宫旧藏珍品的珍宝馆与钟表馆，以及世界上规模最大的古代宫殿门阙午门。若时间充裕，出神武门登景山万春亭，可俯瞰故宫全景中轴线，是公认的绝佳机位。
参观贴士
故宫实行全网实名预约购票，不售当日现场票，旺季建议提前一周预约；除法定节假日外周一闭馆。沿中轴线步行全程约两小时，若加上东西六宫与专题展馆则需要一整天。建议清晨开馆即入，先走中轴线避开人流，午后游览东西路；日落时分到护城河畔拍摄角楼倒影，是故宫最经典的画面之一。
Overview
Completed in 1420 during the Ming dynasty, the Palace Museum—formerly known as the Forbidden City—served as the imperial residence and ceremonial heart of twenty-four emperors across the Ming and Qing dynasties. Covering 720,000 square meters with more than seventy palace compounds and over nine thousand rooms, it is the largest and best-preserved wooden architectural complex in the world, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. The entire city-within-a-city unfolds along a strict north–south axis: the Outer Court, dominated by the Three Great Halls, hosted enthronements and grand ceremonies, while the Inner Court housed the imperial family's private quarters.
Highlights include the Hall of Supreme Harmony—the largest surviving wooden hall in China—the exquisitely crafted corner watchtowers along the moat, the Nine-Dragon Screen, and the Treasure and Clock galleries of the Qing court collection. Construction began in 1406 under the Yongle Emperor, modeled on the Ming palace in Nanjing; after the fall of the Qing in 1911, the last emperor lingered in the Inner Court until 1924, and the Palace Museum opened to the public in 1925. For the definitive panorama, exit through the Gate of Divine Might and climb the hill in Jingshan Park just north of the complex.
Practical notes: tickets must be reserved online in advance under a real-name system—no tickets are sold at the gate—and the museum closes on Mondays except public holidays. A straight walk along the central axis takes about two hours; a full day is needed for the side courts and special galleries. Arrive at opening time to beat the crowds, and save the moat-side corner towers for sunset.
