The Forbidden City, as it is know to most people outside of China, is a World Heritage Site since 1987 and on top of the must see list of travelers to China. This visit to the Forbidden City, Beijing, could just be a bit more difficult in the future.

The complex, built between 1406 and 1420, is the largest collection of ancient wood structures listed by UNESCO. 980 buildings are still standing and the whole area covers about 720,000 square meters. It is a beautiful example of traditional Chinese palatial architecture and well worth a visit. If you have seen the movie “The Last Emperor”, filmed at the Forbidden City in Beijing, you might remember the beautiful buildings and artwork.

From the Ming-Dynasty to the Quing-Dynasty, the Forbidden City housed the Emperors palace and the political and ceremonial center of China as known at that time.

The artwork found in the Forbidden City is nowadays separated. Some pieces are still on display in Beijing, while others were taken to the National Palace Museum in Taipeh.

The masses of visitors, who daily come to see Beijings Forbidden City and it’s wooden structures, started to pose a risk. Moisture and carbon dioxide, exhaled by thousands of visitors every day wear the artwork and structure down. The Chinese government now thinks about restrictions to limit the amount of damage.