Ming Palace Ruins

Wǔcháomén Park, in which the Ming Palace Ruins are scattered, is a peaceful but maudlin place. Built by Hongwu, the imperial palace is said to have been a magnificent structure after which the Imperial Palace in Běijīng was modelled. Anyone familiar with the layout of the Forbidden City will see similarities in the arrangement.

You can clamber into the ruined Meridian Gate (Wǔ Mén). It's not as magnificent as its namesake portal in the Forbidden City, but it, too, once had huge walls jutting out at right angles from the main structure, along with watchtowers. Today, the park is filled with locals practicing ballroom dancing (not quite what the emperor had in mind) to dance-music soundtracks.

You can reach the Ming Palace Ruins by catching bus Y1 from Nánjīng train station or bus 9 from Zhongyang Lu. Subway line 2 stops at Míng Gùgōng (明故宫站).