長樂(le)宮(gong)遺(yi)址(zhi)即現在的未央區(qu)閣(ge)老門、唐寨(zhai)、張(zhang)家巷(xiang)、羅寨(zhai)、講(jiang)武殿(dian)、中查、西查、東查，樊寨(zhai)和雷(lei)寨(zhai)等(deng)村莊。
長(chang)樂宮的(de)考古工(gong)作開始于1956年。經勘(kan)查，該宮平面形狀不規整，周長(chang)約10千米(mi)，面積(ji)約6平方千米(mi)，占長(chang)安(an)城總面積(ji)的(de)六分之一左右。宮墻四門遺跡尚(shang)能辨認，宮內建筑已完(wan)全湮滅，只(zhi)有長(chang)信宮、長(chang)秋宮等少數宮室，可據出(chu)土物印(yin)證。通過(guo)發掘表明，長(chang)樂宮在東漢還(huan)保(bao)存完(wan)好，五代十國(guo)以后廢棄(qi)。
長(chang)樂宮(gong)遺址(zhi)曾(ceng)出(chu)土罕(han)見(jian)排(pai)(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠(qu)道，在一(yi)米(mi)多深(shen)的(de)地下，兩組陶質排(pai)(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)管道如兩條南北向(xiang)的(de)巨龍“聚首(shou)”在一(yi)條長(chang)達五(wu)十七米(mi)的(de)排(pai)(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠(qu)邊。而排(pai)(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠(qu)道由(you)一(yi)條排(pai)(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠(qu)和(he)(he)長(chang)短不一(yi)、粗細不均的(de)五(wu)角形(xing)排(pai)(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)管道共同構成(cheng)。排(pai)(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)渠(qu)長(chang)達五(wu)十七米(mi)，寬約(yue)(yue)一(yi)點(dian)(dian)八米(mi)，深(shen)約(yue)(yue)一(yi)點(dian)(dian)五(wu)米(mi)，在接納了來自南方和(he)(he)東方的(de)各個排(pai)(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)管道的(de)污(wu)水(shui)(shui)之后，便向(xiang)西(xi)(xi)北方向(xiang)流去(qu)。這從側面表明(ming)了西(xi)(xi)漢(han)時期中國(guo)皇(huang)宮(gong)具有較高的(de)建筑水(shui)(shui)平。
經過(guo)多(duo)年的(de)(de)(de)考(kao)(kao)古(gu)勘探和(he)(he)發(fa)掘(jue)(jue)，長樂宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)(de)布(bu)局、范(fan)圍(wei)日漸(jian)清晰，并且與文獻中的(de)(de)(de)記載相互印證(zheng)(zheng)。整(zheng)個宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)城(cheng)占地(di)面積約6平(ping)方公里，約占全(quan)城(cheng)總(zong)面積的(de)(de)(de)六分之(zhi)一(yi)，四(si)周建(jian)(jian)有(you)圍(wei)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)。2003年發(fa)掘(jue)(jue)的(de)(de)(de)四(si)號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)殿(dian)(dian)（據考(kao)(kao)古(gu)研究為(wei)臨(lin)華殿(dian)(dian)）遺(yi)址(zhi)(zhi)有(you)2000平(ping)方米，房子為(wei)半(ban)地(di)穴式，鵝卵石鋪地(di)后(hou)砂漿抹平(ping)地(di)面，墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)壁涂(tu)有(you)白灰，并飾有(you)奪目的(de)(de)(de)彩(cai)繪壁畫，通(tong)道(dao)和(he)(he)臺階鋪有(you)精美的(de)(de)(de)印花(hua)磚(zhuan)，顯示出(chu)獨特(te)(te)的(de)(de)(de)審美取向。而后(hou)發(fa)掘(jue)(jue)出(chu)的(de)(de)(de)五號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)殿(dian)(dian)遺(yi)址(zhi)(zhi)形制獨特(te)(te)，遺(yi)址(zhi)(zhi)圍(wei)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)特(te)(te)別厚(hou)。專家(jia)們推測這(zhe)里就是用來儲(chu)藏冰(bing)的(de)(de)(de)“凌室”，厚(hou)厚(hou)的(de)(de)(de)墻(qiang)(qiang)(qiang)壁有(you)利于保持室溫，所藏之(zhi)冰(bing)用來儲(chu)藏食(shi)物(wu)、防腐保鮮和(he)(he)降溫納涼。考(kao)(kao)古(gu)工作(zuo)者發(fa)掘(jue)(jue)的(de)(de)(de)長樂宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)內規模較大的(de)(de)(de)六號(hao)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)殿(dian)(dian)遺(yi)址(zhi)(zhi)，它的(de)(de)(de)中心(xin)是一(yi)座大型夯(hang)土(tu)臺基，東西長約160米，南北(bei)殘寬50余(yu)米，建(jian)(jian)筑布(bu)局有(you)序、結構精巧，出(chu)土(tu)了(le)(le)大量的(de)(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)筑構件。據考(kao)(kao)證(zheng)(zheng)，這(zhe)處規模宏偉(wei)的(de)(de)(de)建(jian)(jian)筑很可能就是長樂宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)前殿(dian)(dian)遺(yi)址(zhi)(zhi)。除了(le)(le)房屋、水井(jing)、院落外(wai)，緊(jin)貼夯(hang)土(tu)臺基的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)條(tiao)長34.29米、最寬處1.9米的(de)(de)(de)半(ban)地(di)下通(tong)道(dao)引發(fa)了(le)(le)諸(zhu)多(duo)猜想。有(you)專家(jia)認(ren)為(wei)，這(zhe)條(tiao)地(di)下通(tong)道(dao)就是皇(huang)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)中的(de)(de)(de)秘道(dao)，是皇(huang)族們預(yu)防不測的(de)(de)(de)安全(quan)通(tong)道(dao)。
長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)周圍筑有宮(gong)(gong)城，由于長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)是在秦興(xing)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)基礎上(shang)修建(jian)起來的缺乏系統規(gui)劃，平面不甚規(gui)整、為不規(gui)則的方(fang)形，尤其南宮(gong)(gong)墻凹(ao)凸(tu)轉折較多，宮(gong)(gong)城四面各設一座宮(gong)(gong)門(men)，東門(men)和西門(men)外有闕。
宮(gong)垣東(dong)西(xi)(xi)(xi)長(chang)2900米(mi)(mi)，南(nan)北(bei)(bei)寬2400米(mi)(mi)，周長(chang)10600米(mi)(mi)，占(zhan)(zhan)地面(mian)(mian)積約6平(ping)方公里，約占(zhan)(zhan)漢長(chang)安(an)城總面(mian)(mian)積的1/6。宮(gong)城平(ping)面(mian)(mian)形制略(lve)呈方形，南(nan)墻(qiang)(qiang)在覆盎門(men)(men)(men)西(xi)(xi)(xi)有(you)(you)一曲(qu)折，其(qi)余(yu)各墻(qiang)(qiang)都為直線(xian)。宮(gong)城為夯筑土墻(qiang)(qiang)，厚達(da)(da)20多米(mi)(mi)。宮(gong)墻(qiang)(qiang)四面(mian)(mian)各設一座宮(gong)門(men)(men)(men)，其(qi)中(zhong)東(dong)、西(xi)(xi)(xi)二(er)門(men)(men)(men)是主(zhu)要通(tong)道(dao)，門(men)(men)(men)外有(you)(you)闕(que)樓稱為東(dong)闕(que)和(he)西(xi)(xi)(xi)闕(que)。南(nan)宮(gong)門(men)(men)(men)與覆盎門(men)(men)(men)南(nan)北(bei)(bei)相對。東(dong)、南(nan)兩面(mian)(mian)臨城墻(qiang)(qiang)，西(xi)(xi)(xi)隔安(an)門(men)(men)(men)大街(jie)與未央宮(gong)相望。長(chang)樂宮(gong)周回二(er)十余(yu)里，內有(you)(you)14所宮(gong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，均坐北(bei)(bei)向(xiang)南(nan)。其(qi)中(zhong)前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)位于南(nan)面(mian)(mian)中(zhong)部，前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)西(xi)(xi)(xi)側有(you)(you)長(chang)信(xin)宮(gong)（即(ji)長(chang)信(xin)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、長(chang)秋殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、長(chang)定(ding)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永(yong)壽殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)（即(ji)長(chang)壽殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、永(yong)昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永(yong)寧殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等；前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)北(bei)(bei)面(mian)(mian)有(you)(you)大夏殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、臨華殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、宣德殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、通(tong)光殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、高(gao)明殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、建(jian)始殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、廣陽殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、神仙殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、椒房(fang)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和(he)長(chang)亭殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等。另有(you)(you)溫(wen)室(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、鐘室(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、月室(shi)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)以及秦(qin)始皇時(shi)在興樂宮(gong)中(zhong)建(jian)造的高(gao)達(da)(da)40丈的鴻臺。
長(chang)樂宮是中國漢代的(de)“三宮”之一。
漢高祖五年（公(gong)元前202年）九(jiu)月，由丞相蕭何(he)主持在秦(qin)興樂宮基礎上開始營修。
漢(han)高(gao)祖七年(nian)（公元前200年(nian)）二月(yue)，長(chang)樂宮竣工。史(shi)載：（漢(han)七年(nian)）二月(yue)，高(gao)祖自平城過趙(zhao)、雒(luo)陽，至(zhi)長(chang)安(an)。長(chang)樂宮成(cheng)，丞相已下(xia)徙治(zhi)長(chang)安(an)。
漢高祖九年（公元前(qian)198年），朝廷遷(qian)往未央宮(gong)，長(chang)樂宮(gong)改(gai)為太后住(zhu)所。太后所住(zhu)宮(gong)殿(dian)為長(chang)信宮(gong)，是長(chang)樂宮(gong)建(jian)筑群中較重(zhong)要的建(jian)筑物。
歲月靜好 
