Beijing Photo Gallery - Forbidden City

Blue skies over Beijing are a rarity, so I rushed in from Tianjin just to see the Forbidden City once again. To combat overcrowding, the museum has limited the number of visitors to 80,000 daily. Luckily, spring is not busy season and I got through the ticket counters quickly.

From the subway station, head through the first gate with the famous Mao portrait to get your ticket.

The Meridian Gate

To prevent assassins from finding a place to hide, there are no trees in the main parts of the palace. Ahead is the Gate of Supreme Harmony set behind a huge open space.

With such wide spaces between buildings, the tourist crowds can dissipate and you won't be shoulder-to-shoulder with others when taking selfies. Finally, I reached the Gate.

Still at the same place but looking back towards the Meridian Gate.

Another huge and imposing square fronts the next attraction along the central axis - Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The palace is undergoing a long period of restoration, but I prefer the more rugged look, such as the uneven pavement that could trip you over.

To prevent flooding at times of torrential rain, these heads spew out drained rainwater from the upper levels.