The most famous and popular tourist spot in Beijing is the Imperial Palace, the original name of which was "The Purple Forbidden City." The Palace was the office of the Emperor and the home of the Imperial family during the Ming and Ching dynasties. It is a huge complex measuring 750m x 1,000m square, with over 9,000 rooms in numerous buildings, all featuring golden roofs.

The famous Tienan Gate is the main entrance (South Gate) of the palace.