長樂宮遺址(zhi)即(ji)現在的未央區閣老門、唐寨(zhai)、張家巷、羅寨(zhai)、講武殿、中(zhong)查、西查、東查，樊寨(zhai)和雷寨(zhai)等村莊。
長(chang)樂宮(gong)(gong)(gong)的考(kao)古工作開始于1956年。經勘查，該(gai)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)平(ping)面形狀(zhuang)不規整，周長(chang)約10千米，面積約6平(ping)方千米，占長(chang)安城總面積的六分(fen)之一左右。宮(gong)(gong)(gong)墻四門遺跡尚能辨認，宮(gong)(gong)(gong)內建(jian)筑(zhu)已完(wan)全湮滅，只有長(chang)信宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、長(chang)秋宮(gong)(gong)(gong)等少數宮(gong)(gong)(gong)室，可據出土物(wu)印證(zheng)。通過(guo)發掘(jue)表明，長(chang)樂宮(gong)(gong)(gong)在(zai)東(dong)漢還(huan)保存完(wan)好，五代十國以(yi)后廢棄。
長樂宮遺(yi)址曾出土罕見排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠道(dao)，在(zai)(zai)一米多深(shen)的(de)地下，兩組陶質排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)管(guan)道(dao)如兩條(tiao)南北向的(de)巨龍“聚首”在(zai)(zai)一條(tiao)長達五十七(qi)米的(de)排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠邊。而排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠道(dao)由一條(tiao)排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠和長短不一、粗(cu)細不均的(de)五角形排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)管(guan)道(dao)共同構成。排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠長達五十七(qi)米，寬(kuan)約(yue)一點八米，深(shen)約(yue)一點五米，在(zai)(zai)接納了來(lai)自南方(fang)(fang)和東方(fang)(fang)的(de)各個(ge)排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)管(guan)道(dao)的(de)污(wu)水(shui)(shui)之后，便(bian)向西北方(fang)(fang)向流去。這從側面(mian)表明了西漢(han)時期中國皇宮具有較高的(de)建筑水(shui)(shui)平(ping)。
經(jing)過多(duo)(duo)年的(de)(de)(de)考(kao)(kao)古勘探和發(fa)掘(jue)，長樂(le)(le)宮(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)(de)布局、范圍日漸(jian)清晰，并且與文獻中的(de)(de)(de)記載(zai)相互印(yin)證(zheng)。整個宮(gong)(gong)城(cheng)(cheng)占(zhan)地面(mian)積約6平(ping)方公里，約占(zhan)全(quan)(quan)城(cheng)(cheng)總面(mian)積的(de)(de)(de)六(liu)分之一(yi)，四(si)周建(jian)(jian)有(you)(you)(you)圍墻(qiang)。2003年發(fa)掘(jue)的(de)(de)(de)四(si)號宮(gong)(gong)殿（據考(kao)(kao)古研究為(wei)臨(lin)華殿）遺址(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)有(you)(you)(you)2000平(ping)方米(mi)，房(fang)子為(wei)半地穴式，鵝卵石(shi)鋪地后(hou)(hou)砂漿抹平(ping)地面(mian)，墻(qiang)壁涂有(you)(you)(you)白灰，并飾有(you)(you)(you)奪目的(de)(de)(de)彩繪壁畫(hua)，通道(dao)(dao)(dao)和臺階鋪有(you)(you)(you)精(jing)美的(de)(de)(de)印(yin)花(hua)磚(zhuan)，顯(xian)示出(chu)獨特(te)的(de)(de)(de)審美取向(xiang)。而后(hou)(hou)發(fa)掘(jue)出(chu)的(de)(de)(de)五號宮(gong)(gong)殿遺址(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)形制獨特(te)，遺址(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)圍墻(qiang)特(te)別厚。專(zhuan)家(jia)們推(tui)測這里就是(shi)用來(lai)儲(chu)藏(zang)冰(bing)的(de)(de)(de)“凌室”，厚厚的(de)(de)(de)墻(qiang)壁有(you)(you)(you)利(li)于(yu)保持(chi)室溫(wen)(wen)，所藏(zang)之冰(bing)用來(lai)儲(chu)藏(zang)食物、防(fang)腐保鮮和降溫(wen)(wen)納涼。考(kao)(kao)古工作(zuo)者發(fa)掘(jue)的(de)(de)(de)長樂(le)(le)宮(gong)(gong)內規(gui)模較大的(de)(de)(de)六(liu)號宮(gong)(gong)殿遺址(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)，它的(de)(de)(de)中心是(shi)一(yi)座大型(xing)夯土臺基，東(dong)西長約160米(mi)，南北殘寬(kuan)50余米(mi)，建(jian)(jian)筑布局有(you)(you)(you)序、結構(gou)精(jing)巧，出(chu)土了(le)大量的(de)(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)筑構(gou)件。據考(kao)(kao)證(zheng)，這處規(gui)模宏(hong)偉的(de)(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)筑很(hen)可能就是(shi)長樂(le)(le)宮(gong)(gong)前殿遺址(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)。除(chu)了(le)房(fang)屋、水(shui)井、院落外，緊貼(tie)夯土臺基的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)條長34.29米(mi)、最寬(kuan)處1.9米(mi)的(de)(de)(de)半地下(xia)通道(dao)(dao)(dao)引(yin)發(fa)了(le)諸多(duo)(duo)猜(cai)想。有(you)(you)(you)專(zhuan)家(jia)認為(wei)，這條地下(xia)通道(dao)(dao)(dao)就是(shi)皇宮(gong)(gong)中的(de)(de)(de)秘(mi)道(dao)(dao)(dao)，是(shi)皇族(zu)們預防(fang)不測的(de)(de)(de)安全(quan)(quan)通道(dao)(dao)(dao)。
長(chang)樂(le)(le)(le)宮周圍筑有宮城，由于長(chang)樂(le)(le)(le)宮是在(zai)秦興(xing)樂(le)(le)(le)宮基礎上修(xiu)建起來的缺乏系統規(gui)劃，平面(mian)不甚規(gui)整、為不規(gui)則的方形，尤其南宮墻凹凸轉折較多，宮城四面(mian)各(ge)設(she)一座宮門，東門和西(xi)門外(wai)有闕。
宮(gong)垣(yuan)東西(xi)長2900米(mi)，南(nan)北寬2400米(mi)，周長10600米(mi)，占(zhan)(zhan)地面(mian)積約6平(ping)(ping)方(fang)公里，約占(zhan)(zhan)漢(han)長安城(cheng)(cheng)總面(mian)積的1/6。宮(gong)城(cheng)(cheng)平(ping)(ping)面(mian)形制略呈方(fang)形，南(nan)墻在覆盎(ang)門(men)(men)(men)西(xi)有(you)一曲(qu)折(zhe)，其余各(ge)墻都為直線。宮(gong)城(cheng)(cheng)為夯筑(zhu)土墻，厚(hou)達20多米(mi)。宮(gong)墻四面(mian)各(ge)設(she)一座宮(gong)門(men)(men)(men)，其中東、西(xi)二門(men)(men)(men)是主要通道，門(men)(men)(men)外有(you)闕(que)樓(lou)稱為東闕(que)和西(xi)闕(que)。南(nan)宮(gong)門(men)(men)(men)與覆盎(ang)門(men)(men)(men)南(nan)北相(xiang)對。東、南(nan)兩面(mian)臨(lin)城(cheng)(cheng)墻，西(xi)隔(ge)安門(men)(men)(men)大(da)街與未央宮(gong)相(xiang)望。長樂宮(gong)周回(hui)二十余里，內(nei)有(you)14所宮(gong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，均(jun)坐(zuo)北向南(nan)。其中前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)位(wei)于南(nan)面(mian)中部，前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)西(xi)側有(you)長信宮(gong)（即(ji)長信殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、長秋殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、長定殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永(yong)壽(shou)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)（即(ji)長壽(shou)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、永(yong)昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永(yong)寧殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等；前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)北面(mian)有(you)大(da)夏殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、臨(lin)華殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、宣德殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、通光殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、高明殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、建始殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、廣陽(yang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、神仙殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、椒房殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和長亭殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等。另有(you)溫室殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、鐘室殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、月室殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)以及秦始皇(huang)時(shi)在興樂宮(gong)中建造的高達40丈的鴻臺。
長樂宮(gong)是中(zhong)國(guo)漢代(dai)的(de)“三(san)宮(gong)”之(zhi)一。
漢高祖五年（公元前202年）九月(yue)，由丞相蕭(xiao)何主持在秦興(xing)樂宮基礎上開(kai)始營修。
漢高祖(zu)七年(nian)（公(gong)元前200年(nian)）二月，長(chang)樂宮(gong)竣工。史載：（漢七年(nian)）二月，高祖(zu)自平城過(guo)趙、雒(luo)陽，至長(chang)安(an)。長(chang)樂宮(gong)成，丞相已下徙(xi)治長(chang)安(an)。
漢高祖九年(nian)（公元前(qian)198年(nian)），朝廷遷往未央宮(gong)(gong)，長樂(le)(le)宮(gong)(gong)改為太后住所。太后所住宮(gong)(gong)殿為長信宮(gong)(gong)，是長樂(le)(le)宮(gong)(gong)建(jian)筑群中較重要的建(jian)筑物。
歲月靜好 
