長樂宮遺(yi)址即現在(zai)的(de)未央區閣老門、唐寨(zhai)、張家巷、羅寨(zhai)、講(jiang)武殿、中查(cha)(cha)、西查(cha)(cha)、東查(cha)(cha)，樊(fan)寨(zhai)和雷(lei)寨(zhai)等(deng)村莊。
長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)的考古(gu)工作開(kai)始于(yu)1956年。經勘查，該宮(gong)(gong)平面形狀不規整，周長(chang)約10千米(mi)，面積約6平方千米(mi)，占(zhan)長(chang)安城總面積的六分之一左右(you)。宮(gong)(gong)墻(qiang)四門遺跡尚能辨認(ren)，宮(gong)(gong)內建筑已完全(quan)湮(yin)滅，只(zhi)有(you)長(chang)信宮(gong)(gong)、長(chang)秋宮(gong)(gong)等少(shao)數宮(gong)(gong)室(shi)，可據出土物印證。通過發掘表明，長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)在東漢還保(bao)存完好，五代十國以(yi)后廢棄(qi)。
長(chang)樂宮遺址(zhi)曾出土罕見排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠道(dao)，在一(yi)(yi)米(mi)多深的(de)地下，兩組(zu)陶質排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)管(guan)(guan)道(dao)如兩條(tiao)南(nan)北向的(de)巨龍“聚(ju)首(shou)”在一(yi)(yi)條(tiao)長(chang)達五十(shi)(shi)七米(mi)的(de)排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠邊。而排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠道(dao)由一(yi)(yi)條(tiao)排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠和長(chang)短不一(yi)(yi)、粗(cu)細不均的(de)五角形(xing)排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)管(guan)(guan)道(dao)共同構成。排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)渠長(chang)達五十(shi)(shi)七米(mi)，寬約(yue)一(yi)(yi)點八米(mi)，深約(yue)一(yi)(yi)點五米(mi)，在接納了來(lai)自(zi)南(nan)方和東方的(de)各個排(pai)(pai)水(shui)(shui)(shui)管(guan)(guan)道(dao)的(de)污(wu)水(shui)(shui)(shui)之后，便向西北方向流去(qu)。這從側面(mian)表(biao)明了西漢時(shi)期中(zhong)國皇宮具有較高的(de)建筑水(shui)(shui)(shui)平(ping)。
經過多年的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)考古(gu)勘探和發掘(jue)，長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)布局(ju)、范圍(wei)日(ri)漸清晰，并且與(yu)文(wen)獻(xian)中的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)記載相互印(yin)證。整個宮(gong)(gong)(gong)城(cheng)占(zhan)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)面(mian)積約6平(ping)(ping)方公里(li)，約占(zhan)全城(cheng)總面(mian)積的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)六分之一(yi)，四周建(jian)有(you)(you)圍(wei)墻。2003年發掘(jue)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)四號宮(gong)(gong)(gong)殿(dian)(dian)（據(ju)考古(gu)研究為臨華殿(dian)(dian)）遺(yi)址有(you)(you)2000平(ping)(ping)方米(mi)，房子(zi)為半地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)穴式，鵝卵(luan)石鋪地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)后砂漿抹平(ping)(ping)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)面(mian)，墻壁涂(tu)有(you)(you)白灰，并飾(shi)有(you)(you)奪目的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)彩繪壁畫(hua)，通(tong)道(dao)和臺階鋪有(you)(you)精美的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)印(yin)花磚(zhuan)，顯示出獨特的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)審(shen)美取向。而后發掘(jue)出的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)五號宮(gong)(gong)(gong)殿(dian)(dian)遺(yi)址形制獨特，遺(yi)址圍(wei)墻特別厚。專家們(men)(men)推測這(zhe)里(li)就(jiu)(jiu)是用來儲藏冰(bing)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)“凌室”，厚厚的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)墻壁有(you)(you)利(li)于保持室溫，所藏之冰(bing)用來儲藏食(shi)物、防腐保鮮(xian)和降溫納涼。考古(gu)工作者發掘(jue)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)內規模(mo)較大的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)六號宮(gong)(gong)(gong)殿(dian)(dian)遺(yi)址，它的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)中心(xin)是一(yi)座大型夯(hang)土(tu)臺基(ji)，東西長(chang)約160米(mi)，南北殘寬50余米(mi)，建(jian)筑布局(ju)有(you)(you)序、結構(gou)精巧，出土(tu)了大量的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)建(jian)筑構(gou)件。據(ju)考證，這(zhe)處規模(mo)宏偉的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)建(jian)筑很可能就(jiu)(jiu)是長(chang)樂(le)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)前殿(dian)(dian)遺(yi)址。除了房屋、水井、院(yuan)落外，緊貼夯(hang)土(tu)臺基(ji)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)一(yi)條(tiao)長(chang)34.29米(mi)、最寬處1.9米(mi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)半地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)下通(tong)道(dao)引發了諸多猜想。有(you)(you)專家認為，這(zhe)條(tiao)地(di)(di)(di)(di)(di)下通(tong)道(dao)就(jiu)(jiu)是皇宮(gong)(gong)(gong)中的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)秘道(dao)，是皇族們(men)(men)預防不測的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)安全通(tong)道(dao)。
長(chang)樂宮周(zhou)圍筑有宮城(cheng)(cheng)，由(you)于長(chang)樂宮是在秦興樂宮基礎上(shang)修建起來的缺(que)乏(fa)系統規(gui)劃，平面(mian)不(bu)甚規(gui)整、為不(bu)規(gui)則(ze)的方(fang)形，尤其(qi)南宮墻凹(ao)凸轉(zhuan)折較多，宮城(cheng)(cheng)四(si)面(mian)各設(she)一座宮門(men)，東門(men)和西門(men)外(wai)有闕(que)。
宮(gong)垣東(dong)西(xi)(xi)長(chang)(chang)2900米(mi)，南(nan)(nan)(nan)北(bei)寬2400米(mi)，周長(chang)(chang)10600米(mi)，占(zhan)地(di)面積約6平方公里(li)，約占(zhan)漢長(chang)(chang)安(an)城總面積的1/6。宮(gong)城平面形制略(lve)呈方形，南(nan)(nan)(nan)墻(qiang)在覆盎(ang)門(men)西(xi)(xi)有(you)(you)一曲折，其(qi)余(yu)各墻(qiang)都為直(zhi)線。宮(gong)城為夯筑土墻(qiang)，厚達20多米(mi)。宮(gong)墻(qiang)四面各設一座宮(gong)門(men)，其(qi)中(zhong)東(dong)、西(xi)(xi)二(er)門(men)是主(zhu)要通道，門(men)外有(you)(you)闕(que)樓稱為東(dong)闕(que)和西(xi)(xi)闕(que)。南(nan)(nan)(nan)宮(gong)門(men)與覆盎(ang)門(men)南(nan)(nan)(nan)北(bei)相對。東(dong)、南(nan)(nan)(nan)兩面臨(lin)城墻(qiang)，西(xi)(xi)隔安(an)門(men)大街(jie)與未央宮(gong)相望。長(chang)(chang)樂(le)(le)宮(gong)周回二(er)十(shi)余(yu)里(li)，內有(you)(you)14所宮(gong)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)，均坐北(bei)向南(nan)(nan)(nan)。其(qi)中(zhong)前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)位于(yu)南(nan)(nan)(nan)面中(zhong)部，前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)西(xi)(xi)側有(you)(you)長(chang)(chang)信宮(gong)（即(ji)(ji)長(chang)(chang)信殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、長(chang)(chang)秋殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、長(chang)(chang)定(ding)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永壽(shou)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)（即(ji)(ji)長(chang)(chang)壽(shou)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)）、永昌殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、永寧殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等；前殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)北(bei)面有(you)(you)大夏殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)、臨(lin)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)、椒房殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)和長(chang)(chang)亭(ting)殿(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)等。另有(you)(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(shi)在興樂(le)(le)宮(gong)中(zhong)建造(zao)的高(gao)達40丈的鴻臺(tai)。
長(chang)樂(le)宮是中國漢代的“三宮”之一。
漢高祖五年（公元前202年）九月，由丞相蕭何主持在秦興(xing)樂宮基礎上(shang)開始營修(xiu)。
漢(han)高祖七年（公元(yuan)前200年）二月，長樂宮竣工(gong)。史載：（漢(han)七年）二月，高祖自(zi)平城過趙、雒陽，至(zhi)長安。長樂宮成，丞相(xiang)已下(xia)徙治長安。
漢(han)高(gao)祖(zu)九年（公元前(qian)198年），朝(chao)廷遷(qian)往未央(yang)宮，長(chang)樂宮改(gai)為(wei)太后住所。太后所住宮殿為(wei)長(chang)信(xin)宮，是長(chang)樂宮建(jian)筑群中較重(zhong)要的建(jian)筑物。
歲月靜好 
