Forbidden City
Beijing is one of the fabled capital cities of China and the world. Long an administrative and cultural center, it is immediately recognizable by the Imperial walled city. Empire reached China at many times throughout history starting hundreds of years BCE and reinventing itself dozens of times since.
Constructed in the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty, the city has been the capital of China on and off through the ages. One key feature that this city plays in the history of the world is it’s early adoption of an active fire department. The city burned not long after construction so magistrates installed large cauldrons (pictured below) to hold water in the event of more fires.
