Places & destinations
ChinaPlaces & destinations
Shenyang Imperial Palace
The Qing palace before Beijing, where the throne stands under a wooden tent.
On the mapLiaoning
Begun in 1625 by Nurhaci and finished by his son Hong Taiji, the complex covers six hectares, sixty times less than the Forbidden City, but tells a different story: the Dazheng Dian throne hall is an octagonal pavilion echoing the shape of a yurt, ringed by ten pavilions for the banner chiefs. The architecture blends Manchu, Mongol and Han codes, evidence of a power still defining itself. After 1644 the emperors returned here on pilgrimage. Listed as World Heritage in 2004 as an extension of the Forbidden City.