Forbidden City

Though it is a palace, the sheer size of it totally justifies it being addressed as City. Forbidden City was once the Chinese Imperial palace from Ming Dynasty till the end of Qing Dynasty. This is the largest surviving palace complex anywhere in the world and covers an area of nearly 720,000 square metres. There are in all 980 buildings in the premises of the Forbidden City. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest hall in the palace and is also the main attraction of the palace. The main entrance to the palace is the imposing Meridian Gate on the southern side. After entering from the Meridian gate, the first structure that you will see will be the Gate of Supreme Harmony crossing which you will reach a huge courtyard at the end of which sits pretty the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The hall was used to host royal wedding ceremonies, investitures and coronations. Other major structures in the palace are Palace of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Mental Cultivation and Palace of Tranquil Longevity.