[Forbidden City Project] Building the Forbidden City in Minecraft

The Forbidden City, now home to the Palace Museum in Beijing, served as the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the largest and best-preserved ancient palace complex in the world, consisting of nearly 10,000 rooms and representing the pinnacle of traditional Chinese imperial architecture.

Construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406 during the fourth year of the Yongle Emperor’s reign in the Ming dynasty. Its overall design was based on the Imperial City of Nanjing, the Ming capital at the time. After fourteen years of construction, the palace complex was completed in 1420. Over the following centuries, it underwent numerous renovations, expansions, and reconstructions. Combined with the effects of wars, natural disasters, and restorations carried out by successive dynasties, the Forbidden City seen today differs in many ways from its original design.

This project began as a spontaneous idea inspired by the existing Palace Museum in Beijing. Its goal is to recreate the Forbidden City, and eventually the surrounding historic city of Beijing in Minecraft. By faithfully reproducing its architectural features, urban layout, and historical atmosphere, the project aims to bring this magnificent imperial capital back to life within a world of blocks.

• Initial construction date: June, 2022
• Initial game version: 1.19
• Current game version: 26.2
• Estimated completion date: Indefinite

Photo Dump

References

• Forbidden City. (2026, March 5). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved July 4, 2026, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/故宫

• Google. (n.d.). The Forbidden City, Beijing (Satellite imagery). Google Maps. Retrieved July 4, 2026, from https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9165399,116.3944738,1788a,35y,357.75h

• The Palace Museum. (n.d.). Panoramic Forbidden City. Retrieved July 4, 2026, from https://pano.dpm.org.cn/