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The Upright Gate is located between Tiananmen gate and the Meridian Gate, along the ceremonial way. It is nearly identical to Tiananmen gate, and is also open to the public.
Duanmen, also known as the Gate of Uprightness, or Upright Gate, 端門 is a gate in Beijing's Imperial City. It is located south of the Forbidden City. Proceeding north from the entrance to the Imperial City, it is the next gate after the Tian'anmen, or Gate of Heavenly Peace, and has a similar structure to that gate. The next gate further north is the Meridian Gate, which is the southern and main gate to the Forbidden City itself.
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社稷坛
Located west of the ceremonial way leading from Tiananmen Square to Meridian Gate in a mirrored position to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the Emperor came to this altar to venerate the land of his empire, rather than his family. The park surrounding the temple is called Zhongshan Park. There are fewer grand buildings here, but the gardens and greenhouses are famed for their flowers, which are on show year-round.
太庙
This is one of the grandest temple complexes in Beijing, often forgotten by visitors keen to get to or from the nearby Forbidden City. The temple complex is located to the east of the ceremonial way leading from Tiananmen Square to Meridian Gate. This was where the Emperor performed rites to honour his own ancestors. Sadly, much of the interior, including the ancestral tablets, were destroyed by Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution, and the main building now serves as a museum of musical instruments. The park surrounding the temple is called the Labouring People's Cultural Palace. The main gate is on East Chang'an Avenue, east of Tiananmen Gate, but the park also has side and back gates. The main halls of the temple are in the same style and on a similar scale to the main halls of the Forbidden City but has fewer tourists, so it is a popular destination for photographers, especially wedding photographers.
文华殿
This mini-palace (J) was variously used as the Crown Prince's court and an imperial Confucian lecture hall. It now houses the Palace Museum's porcelain and ceramics gallery. The gallery's exhibits trace through the development of Chinese porcelain, and includes items from the large imperial collection held by the Palace Museum. To reach the Hall of Literary Glory, go through the gate on the right after the Meridian Gate but before going through the Gate of Supreme Harmony.
武英殿
Somewhat ironically, this set of buildings (H) built to celebrate military valour now houses the Palace Museum's paintings and calligraphy gallery. Works from the Palace Museum's extensive collection are rotated through the gallery and changed every few months. To reach the Hall of Military Eminence, go through the gate on the left after the Meridian Gate but before going through the Gate of Supreme Harmony.
外朝
The imposing set of buildings designed to be the ceremonial centre of the palace. Visitors enter through Meridian Gate (A), the imposing main gate with unique protruding side wings, followed by the Gate of Supreme Harmony (F), where the Emperor sometimes held court. There are then three grand halls set on a multi-tiered marble platform, including the Hall of Supreme Harmony (G), which was the ceremonial throne room used for the grandest of state occasions. To preserve the fine paving stones, it is no longer possible to enter the halls, but you can admire the interiors from the front door.
宁寿宫
A palace in itself with its own "Outer Court", "Inner Palace" and "Imperial Garden", this complex (O) was designed for the Qianlong Emperor to enjoy his retirement after abdication - but he was too busy giving his son instructions on government to ever use it. Look for the glaze-tiled Nine Dragon Screen in front of the main entrance. These buildings now house the Palace Museum's Treasures Gallery (珍宝馆), which includes works in precious metals and precious or semi-precious stones. A separate admission charge applies. The Stone Drum Gallery, which houses a set of ancient drum-shaped stone carvings, and the Theatre Gallery, housed in a traditional Chinese-style outdoor theatre, are also in this complex. The mini-Imperial Garden, while smaller than the main garden, is more finely decorated with some small but elaborate garden buildings.