The Corner Tower of the Forbidden City

The Corner Tower of the Forbidden City

The Corner Tower of the Forbidden City is a multi-angular structure composed of four protruding rectangular planes. Its roof has three tiers: the upper tier features an interlocking hip-and-gable roof formed by combining a double-sloped suspended gable roof with a four-sloped hip roof. With nine main ridges on this type of roof, it is called the "Nine-Ridge Hall." The middle tier employs the "interconnected roofing" technique, where four surrounding hip-roofed wing rooms encircle the central roof like stars surrounding the moon. The lower tier features a semi-sloped eave that encompasses the five roofs of the upper two tiers into a composite whole. Due to the harmonious proportions, elegant eaves, and exquisite, unique design of the corner tower, it has become an iconic symbol of the Forbidden City—amazing, awe-inspiring, and deeply admired.

Within the Forbidden City, there are four gates: the Meridian Gate to the south, as well as the Donghua Gate, Xihua Gate, and the Shenwu Gate to the north. The entire palace complex is rectangular, covering an area of 720,000 square meters, with over 70 palaces of various sizes and more than 9,000 rooms. It is surrounded by walls over 10 meters high and a moat more than 50 meters wide. At each of the four corners of the wall stands an exquisitely crafted corner tower. These beautifully designed, colorful towers were built during the Ming Dynasty and have a history of over 560 years. The floor plan of the corner towers consists of two overlapping "crosses" in an L-shape, with white marble column bases surrounding them. The double-eaved roof features multi-angular intersections, with the upper eave composed of a pyramidal roof and a hip-and-gable roof. All four sides feature sloping ridges, with the main ridge forming a cross at the center, topped with a bronze-gilded finial. The corner towers are designed with harmonious proportions and ingenious construction. Their complex and intricate structures, both large and small, demonstrate exceptional creativity, fully showcasing the wisdom and skill of the Chinese working people.

Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development