Ice Storehouses, Ancient ice storage facility in Forbidden City, China
The ice storage facility consists of four large underground chambers with thick stone walls and arched ceilings arranged in a north-south orientation. Each chamber features drainage systems and robust construction designed to maintain cool temperatures year-round.
These storage chambers were built during imperial times when food preservation was essential to palace operations. Workers collected ice blocks from outside the Forbidden City after winter and stacked them in these underground rooms for use throughout the seasons.
The ice storage rooms reveal how the imperial court used frozen water to keep food fresh and drinks cold throughout the year. This practical system was woven into daily palace life and shows the ingenuity of imperial household management.
These underground chambers are best viewed in daylight, and visitors can observe the structure from designated viewpoints near the Garden of Compassion and Tranquility. Plan to spend a short time here as the site is accessed as part of the larger Forbidden City tour rather than as a standalone attraction.
The underground design was so effective at maintaining cold that ice stored here remained frozen for many months without any modern cooling technology. The thick walls and careful placement near water sources made these chambers work like natural refrigerators.
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