The architecture of the walled complex adheres rigidly to traditional spatial principles. The o.... hall gate

Among the more notable landmarks are the Meridian Gate (Wu men), the Hall of Supreme Harmony (T'ai-ho tien), and the Imperial Garden (Yu-hua yuan). The Meridian Gate is the imposing formal entrance to the southern side of the Forbidden City. The gate is also one of the tallest buildings of the complex, standing 125 feet (38 metres) high at its roof ridge. North of the Gate of Supreme Harmony lies the heart of the Forbidden City, where the three main halls stand atop a three-tiered marble terrace overlooking an immense plaza. To the north, on the same triple terrace, stand the Hall of Central Harmony (Chung-ho tien) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Pao-ho tien), also loci of government functions. Adjacent to these palaces, at the northernmost limit of the Forbidden City, is the 3-acre (1.2-hectare) Imperial Garden, the organic design of which seems to depart from the rigid symmetry of the rest of the compound. In its centre stands the Hall of Imperial Peace (Ch'in-an tien)! , a temple where the emperor would retreat for contemplation.