Being the largest and best-preserved wooden architectural complex of ancient buildings, Forbidden City takes an area of 725, 000 square meters (179 acres), 961 meters (1,051 yards) long from north to south and 753 meters (823 yards) wide from east to west. Actually a strongly fortified castle, it is surrounded by 12 meters (39 feet) high Wall and 52 meters (57 yards) wide moat. It has four gates the Gate of Divine Might (Shenwumen), Meridian Gate (wumen), Eastern Flowery Gate (donghuamen) and Western Flowery Gate (xihuamen) on the north, south, east and west, in between which are built a total of 8, 704 rooms.
