長樂(le)宮遺址即現在的未(wei)央區閣(ge)老門、唐寨(zhai)、張家巷、羅寨(zhai)、講(jiang)武殿、中查、西查、東查，樊寨(zhai)和(he)雷寨(zhai)等(deng)村莊。
長(chang)(chang)樂宮(gong)的(de)考古工作開始于1956年。經勘(kan)查(cha)，該宮(gong)平(ping)(ping)面(mian)形(xing)狀不規整，周長(chang)(chang)約10千(qian)米，面(mian)積約6平(ping)(ping)方千(qian)米，占(zhan)長(chang)(chang)安城(cheng)總面(mian)積的(de)六分(fen)之一左右。宮(gong)墻(qiang)四門遺跡尚能(neng)辨認，宮(gong)內建筑已完全湮(yin)滅，只有(you)長(chang)(chang)信宮(gong)、長(chang)(chang)秋宮(gong)等少數宮(gong)室，可據出土物印證。通過發(fa)掘表明，長(chang)(chang)樂宮(gong)在東漢還(huan)保存完好，五代十國以后廢棄。
長(chang)樂宮遺(yi)址(zhi)曾(ceng)出土罕見排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠(qu)道，在(zai)一(yi)米(mi)多深的地下，兩(liang)組陶質排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)管道如兩(liang)條(tiao)南(nan)北向(xiang)的巨龍“聚首”在(zai)一(yi)條(tiao)長(chang)達五(wu)十(shi)七(qi)米(mi)的排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠(qu)邊。而排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠(qu)道由一(yi)條(tiao)排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠(qu)和(he)長(chang)短不(bu)一(yi)、粗細不(bu)均的五(wu)角形排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)管道共同構成(cheng)。排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠(qu)長(chang)達五(wu)十(shi)七(qi)米(mi)，寬約一(yi)點(dian)八米(mi)，深約一(yi)點(dian)五(wu)米(mi)，在(zai)接納了(le)來自南(nan)方(fang)(fang)和(he)東方(fang)(fang)的各(ge)個(ge)排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)管道的污水(shui)(shui)(shui)之后，便(bian)向(xiang)西(xi)北方(fang)(fang)向(xiang)流去。這(zhe)從側面(mian)表明了(le)西(xi)漢時期中國皇宮具有較高的建筑水(shui)(shui)(shui)平(ping)。
經過(guo)多年(nian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)考(kao)古(gu)(gu)勘探和發掘，長樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)布局、范(fan)圍日漸清晰，并且與文獻中的(de)(de)(de)(de)記載相互印證。整個(ge)宮(gong)(gong)城占地(di)面(mian)積約(yue)6平方公(gong)里，約(yue)占全城總(zong)面(mian)積的(de)(de)(de)(de)六分(fen)之一，四(si)周建有(you)圍墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)。2003年(nian)發掘的(de)(de)(de)(de)四(si)號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)殿(dian)（據考(kao)古(gu)(gu)研(yan)究(jiu)為臨華殿(dian)）遺(yi)址(zhi)有(you)2000平方米，房子(zi)為半地(di)穴式，鵝卵(luan)石鋪地(di)后砂漿抹平地(di)面(mian)，墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)壁涂(tu)有(you)白灰，并飾有(you)奪目的(de)(de)(de)(de)彩繪壁畫，通(tong)道(dao)(dao)和臺(tai)階鋪有(you)精(jing)美的(de)(de)(de)(de)印花磚，顯示出(chu)(chu)獨(du)特的(de)(de)(de)(de)審美取向(xiang)。而后發掘出(chu)(chu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)五號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)殿(dian)遺(yi)址(zhi)形制獨(du)特，遺(yi)址(zhi)圍墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)特別厚。專(zhuan)家(jia)們推測這(zhe)里就是(shi)(shi)用來儲藏冰(bing)的(de)(de)(de)(de)“凌(ling)室”，厚厚的(de)(de)(de)(de)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)壁有(you)利于保(bao)持室溫(wen)(wen)，所藏之冰(bing)用來儲藏食物(wu)、防腐(fu)保(bao)鮮(xian)和降(jiang)溫(wen)(wen)納涼。考(kao)古(gu)(gu)工(gong)作者發掘的(de)(de)(de)(de)長樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)內(nei)規(gui)模較大的(de)(de)(de)(de)六號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)殿(dian)遺(yi)址(zhi)，它的(de)(de)(de)(de)中心是(shi)(shi)一座大型夯土(tu)臺(tai)基(ji)，東西(xi)長約(yue)160米，南北殘寬50余(yu)米，建筑(zhu)布局有(you)序(xu)、結構(gou)精(jing)巧，出(chu)(chu)土(tu)了(le)大量的(de)(de)(de)(de)建筑(zhu)構(gou)件。據考(kao)證，這(zhe)處規(gui)模宏偉的(de)(de)(de)(de)建筑(zhu)很(hen)可能(neng)就是(shi)(shi)長樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)前殿(dian)遺(yi)址(zhi)。除了(le)房屋、水井、院落外，緊貼夯土(tu)臺(tai)基(ji)的(de)(de)(de)(de)一條長34.29米、最寬處1.9米的(de)(de)(de)(de)半地(di)下通(tong)道(dao)(dao)引發了(le)諸多猜(cai)想。有(you)專(zhuan)家(jia)認為，這(zhe)條地(di)下通(tong)道(dao)(dao)就是(shi)(shi)皇宮(gong)(gong)中的(de)(de)(de)(de)秘(mi)道(dao)(dao)，是(shi)(shi)皇族們預(yu)防不測的(de)(de)(de)(de)安全通(tong)道(dao)(dao)。
長(chang)樂宮周圍筑有宮城，由于長(chang)樂宮是在秦興樂宮基(ji)礎上修建起來(lai)的缺乏系統規(gui)劃，平面(mian)不甚(shen)規(gui)整、為不規(gui)則的方(fang)形，尤其南(nan)宮墻凹凸轉(zhuan)折較多，宮城四面(mian)各(ge)設一座宮門(men)，東門(men)和西門(men)外(wai)有闕。
宮(gong)(gong)垣東(dong)(dong)西長(chang)2900米，南(nan)(nan)北(bei)寬(kuan)2400米，周長(chang)10600米，占(zhan)地面(mian)積約(yue)6平方(fang)公里(li)，約(yue)占(zhan)漢長(chang)安城(cheng)總面(mian)積的(de)1/6。宮(gong)(gong)城(cheng)平面(mian)形(xing)制(zhi)略呈(cheng)方(fang)形(xing)，南(nan)(nan)墻(qiang)在覆盎(ang)門(men)(men)(men)西有(you)一(yi)曲折，其余各墻(qiang)都為直線(xian)。宮(gong)(gong)城(cheng)為夯筑土墻(qiang)，厚達20多米。宮(gong)(gong)墻(qiang)四(si)面(mian)各設一(yi)座宮(gong)(gong)門(men)(men)(men)，其中東(dong)(dong)、西二門(men)(men)(men)是主要通道，門(men)(men)(men)外(wai)有(you)闕(que)樓稱為東(dong)(dong)闕(que)和(he)西闕(que)。南(nan)(nan)宮(gong)(gong)門(men)(men)(men)與覆盎(ang)門(men)(men)(men)南(nan)(nan)北(bei)相(xiang)對(dui)。東(dong)(dong)、南(nan)(nan)兩面(mian)臨城(cheng)墻(qiang)，西隔安門(men)(men)(men)大街與未(wei)央宮(gong)(gong)相(xiang)望。長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)周回二十余里(li)，內(nei)有(you)14所宮(gong)(gong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，均(jun)坐北(bei)向南(nan)(nan)。其中前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)位(wei)于南(nan)(nan)面(mian)中部(bu)，前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)西側有(you)長(chang)信宮(gong)(gong)（即長(chang)信殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、長(chang)秋殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、長(chang)定(ding)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永(yong)壽殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)（即長(chang)壽殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、永(yong)昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永(yong)寧殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等(deng)；前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)北(bei)面(mian)有(you)大夏殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、臨華殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、宣德殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、通光殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、高(gao)明殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、建(jian)始殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、廣陽殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、神仙殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、椒房(fang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和(he)長(chang)亭殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等(deng)。另有(you)溫室(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、鐘(zhong)室(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、月室(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)以及秦始皇時在興樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)中建(jian)造的(de)高(gao)達40丈的(de)鴻臺。
長樂宮是中國漢(han)代的“三宮”之一。
漢高祖(zu)五年(nian)（公(gong)元前202年(nian)）九(jiu)月(yue)，由丞相蕭(xiao)何主持在秦興樂宮基礎(chu)上開始(shi)營修。
漢(han)高祖(zu)七(qi)年(nian)(nian)（公元前(qian)200年(nian)(nian)）二(er)月(yue)，長樂(le)宮竣工。史載：（漢(han)七(qi)年(nian)(nian)）二(er)月(yue)，高祖(zu)自平城過(guo)趙、雒陽，至長安(an)(an)。長樂(le)宮成，丞相(xiang)已下徙治長安(an)(an)。
漢(han)高祖九年(nian)（公(gong)元前198年(nian)），朝(chao)廷遷往未央(yang)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)，長樂宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)改為(wei)(wei)太(tai)后住(zhu)所。太(tai)后所住(zhu)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)殿為(wei)(wei)長信宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)，是長樂宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)建筑群(qun)中(zhong)較重要的建筑物。
歲月靜好 
