長(chang)樂宮遺址即現在的未央區(qu)閣老門、唐寨(zhai)、張家巷(xiang)、羅寨(zhai)、講武殿、中查(cha)、西查(cha)、東(dong)查(cha)，樊(fan)寨(zhai)和雷寨(zhai)等村莊。
長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)的(de)考古(gu)工作開始于1956年。經勘查，該宮(gong)(gong)(gong)平(ping)面形狀(zhuang)不規整(zheng)，周長(chang)約10千米，面積約6平(ping)方(fang)千米，占長(chang)安(an)城總(zong)面積的(de)六分之一(yi)左右。宮(gong)(gong)(gong)墻四門遺跡尚(shang)能(neng)辨認(ren)，宮(gong)(gong)(gong)內建筑已完全湮(yin)滅，只(zhi)有長(chang)信(xin)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、長(chang)秋宮(gong)(gong)(gong)等少數(shu)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)室，可據出土(tu)物印證。通過(guo)發掘表明，長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)在東漢還(huan)保存完好(hao)，五(wu)代十(shi)國以(yi)后廢棄。
長樂宮(gong)遺址曾出土罕見排(pai)(pai)水渠(qu)道(dao)(dao)，在一米(mi)多深的(de)(de)地下，兩(liang)組陶質排(pai)(pai)水管(guan)道(dao)(dao)如(ru)兩(liang)條(tiao)南北向的(de)(de)巨龍“聚首”在一條(tiao)長達五(wu)十七(qi)米(mi)的(de)(de)排(pai)(pai)水渠(qu)邊。而排(pai)(pai)水渠(qu)道(dao)(dao)由一條(tiao)排(pai)(pai)水渠(qu)和長短不一、粗(cu)細不均(jun)的(de)(de)五(wu)角(jiao)形排(pai)(pai)水管(guan)道(dao)(dao)共(gong)同構成。排(pai)(pai)水渠(qu)長達五(wu)十七(qi)米(mi)，寬約(yue)一點(dian)八(ba)米(mi)，深約(yue)一點(dian)五(wu)米(mi)，在接納了(le)來(lai)自南方和東方的(de)(de)各個排(pai)(pai)水管(guan)道(dao)(dao)的(de)(de)污(wu)水之后，便向西北方向流去。這從側(ce)面(mian)表明了(le)西漢時(shi)期中國皇(huang)宮(gong)具(ju)有較高的(de)(de)建筑水平(ping)。
經(jing)過多年(nian)的(de)(de)(de)考(kao)古勘探和(he)發(fa)掘(jue)，長(chang)(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)(de)布局、范圍(wei)(wei)日漸(jian)清晰(xi)，并(bing)且(qie)與文獻中的(de)(de)(de)記載相(xiang)互(hu)印(yin)證。整個宮(gong)(gong)城(cheng)占地(di)面積約6平(ping)方(fang)公里(li)，約占全(quan)城(cheng)總面積的(de)(de)(de)六分之(zhi)一，四周(zhou)建有(you)圍(wei)(wei)墻(qiang)。2003年(nian)發(fa)掘(jue)的(de)(de)(de)四號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)殿(dian)（據考(kao)古研(yan)究(jiu)為(wei)(wei)臨華殿(dian)）遺址(zhi)有(you)2000平(ping)方(fang)米(mi)(mi)，房子為(wei)(wei)半地(di)穴式(shi)，鵝卵石鋪(pu)地(di)后砂(sha)漿抹(mo)平(ping)地(di)面，墻(qiang)壁(bi)(bi)涂有(you)白灰，并(bing)飾(shi)有(you)奪目的(de)(de)(de)彩繪壁(bi)(bi)畫，通道和(he)臺階鋪(pu)有(you)精(jing)美的(de)(de)(de)印(yin)花(hua)磚，顯示出(chu)獨特(te)的(de)(de)(de)審美取向。而后發(fa)掘(jue)出(chu)的(de)(de)(de)五號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)殿(dian)遺址(zhi)形制(zhi)獨特(te)，遺址(zhi)圍(wei)(wei)墻(qiang)特(te)別厚。專家(jia)們推(tui)測(ce)這里(li)就是(shi)用來儲藏(zang)冰的(de)(de)(de)“凌室”，厚厚的(de)(de)(de)墻(qiang)壁(bi)(bi)有(you)利于(yu)保持(chi)室溫(wen)，所(suo)藏(zang)之(zhi)冰用來儲藏(zang)食物、防腐保鮮(xian)和(he)降溫(wen)納涼。考(kao)古工作者(zhe)發(fa)掘(jue)的(de)(de)(de)長(chang)(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)內規模較大的(de)(de)(de)六號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)殿(dian)遺址(zhi)，它(ta)的(de)(de)(de)中心(xin)是(shi)一座(zuo)大型(xing)夯土(tu)臺基，東西長(chang)(chang)約160米(mi)(mi)，南北殘寬(kuan)50余米(mi)(mi)，建筑布局有(you)序、結構(gou)(gou)精(jing)巧，出(chu)土(tu)了大量的(de)(de)(de)建筑構(gou)(gou)件。據考(kao)證，這處規模宏偉的(de)(de)(de)建筑很(hen)可(ke)能就是(shi)長(chang)(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)前殿(dian)遺址(zhi)。除了房屋(wu)、水井、院落外(wai)，緊貼夯土(tu)臺基的(de)(de)(de)一條長(chang)(chang)34.29米(mi)(mi)、最寬(kuan)處1.9米(mi)(mi)的(de)(de)(de)半地(di)下(xia)通道引發(fa)了諸多猜(cai)想。有(you)專家(jia)認為(wei)(wei)，這條地(di)下(xia)通道就是(shi)皇宮(gong)(gong)中的(de)(de)(de)秘道，是(shi)皇族們預防不測(ce)的(de)(de)(de)安(an)全(quan)通道。
長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)周圍筑(zhu)有(you)宮(gong)(gong)城(cheng)(cheng)，由于(yu)長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)是在秦興樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)基礎上修建起來的缺乏系統(tong)規(gui)劃，平(ping)面(mian)不甚規(gui)整、為不規(gui)則的方形，尤其南宮(gong)(gong)墻凹(ao)凸轉折較多(duo)，宮(gong)(gong)城(cheng)(cheng)四面(mian)各設(she)一座(zuo)宮(gong)(gong)門，東門和西門外有(you)闕。
宮(gong)垣東西(xi)(xi)長(chang)(chang)(chang)2900米(mi)(mi)，南北(bei)(bei)寬2400米(mi)(mi)，周(zhou)長(chang)(chang)(chang)10600米(mi)(mi)，占地面積(ji)約6平方公里(li)，約占漢長(chang)(chang)(chang)安(an)城總面積(ji)的1/6。宮(gong)城平面形制(zhi)略呈方形，南墻(qiang)在(zai)覆(fu)盎(ang)(ang)門(men)(men)西(xi)(xi)有(you)(you)(you)一曲折，其余(yu)各墻(qiang)都為直線(xian)。宮(gong)城為夯筑土墻(qiang)，厚達20多米(mi)(mi)。宮(gong)墻(qiang)四面各設一座宮(gong)門(men)(men)，其中東、西(xi)(xi)二門(men)(men)是主要通(tong)道(dao)，門(men)(men)外有(you)(you)(you)闕(que)樓(lou)稱為東闕(que)和西(xi)(xi)闕(que)。南宮(gong)門(men)(men)與(yu)覆(fu)盎(ang)(ang)門(men)(men)南北(bei)(bei)相(xiang)對。東、南兩(liang)面臨(lin)城墻(qiang)，西(xi)(xi)隔安(an)門(men)(men)大街(jie)與(yu)未央宮(gong)相(xiang)望。長(chang)(chang)(chang)樂宮(gong)周(zhou)回二十(shi)余(yu)里(li)，內(nei)有(you)(you)(you)14所宮(gong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，均坐北(bei)(bei)向(xiang)南。其中前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)位于南面中部，前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)西(xi)(xi)側有(you)(you)(you)長(chang)(chang)(chang)信宮(gong)（即長(chang)(chang)(chang)信殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、長(chang)(chang)(chang)秋殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、長(chang)(chang)(chang)定殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永壽(shou)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)（即長(chang)(chang)(chang)壽(shou)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、永昌(chang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永寧(ning)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等；前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)北(bei)(bei)面有(you)(you)(you)大夏殿(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(tong)光殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、高明(ming)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、建(jian)始(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、廣(guang)陽殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、神(shen)仙殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、椒房殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和長(chang)(chang)(chang)亭殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等。另有(you)(you)(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(shi)皇時在(zai)興樂宮(gong)中建(jian)造的高達40丈的鴻(hong)臺。
長樂宮是中(zhong)國漢(han)代的“三宮”之一。
漢高(gao)祖五年（公元前202年）九月，由丞相蕭何主持在秦興樂宮基礎上開始營修。
漢高(gao)祖(zu)七年(nian)（公元(yuan)前(qian)200年(nian)）二月，長(chang)(chang)(chang)樂宮(gong)(gong)竣工。史載(zai)：（漢七年(nian)）二月，高(gao)祖(zu)自(zi)平城過(guo)趙(zhao)、雒(luo)陽，至長(chang)(chang)(chang)安(an)。長(chang)(chang)(chang)樂宮(gong)(gong)成(cheng)，丞相已下徙治長(chang)(chang)(chang)安(an)。
漢高祖(zu)九(jiu)年（公元(yuan)前(qian)198年），朝廷遷往(wang)未央宮(gong)，長(chang)(chang)樂宮(gong)改為太后(hou)住所。太后(hou)所住宮(gong)殿為長(chang)(chang)信宮(gong)，是(shi)長(chang)(chang)樂宮(gong)建筑(zhu)群中較重要的建筑(zhu)物。
歲月靜好 
