Built in 1406–1420, the palace served as an official imperial residence for five centuries. Until 1925, the outside world was entirely barred from entering the Gugun Palace and Park, hence its other name, the Forbidden City.
The President also laid wreaths at the Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tiananmen, Beijing’s central square, and visited Beihai Park.
When the unofficial programme for his visit to China was over, Mr Putin flew to Pyongyang.
See also
Visit to China
July 18 − 19, 2000