Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is located in the heart of Beijing and covers over 44 hectares. It is the largest city square in China and is one of the largest public squares in the world.

Tiananmen Square was the spot where in 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong declared to the Chinese People the founding of the People's Republic of China and since then has been a symbol of China's modern development and image of power. In contrast to the Forbidden City's traditional Chinese style, Tiananmen Square exudes a modern, industrial face which makes for an interesting juxtaposition.

On each side of Tiananmen Square sits one of the city's most iconic structures. To the south of Tiananmen, stands Qianmen Gate which dates back to the Ming Dynasty and is the original gate into Beijing. To the west of Tiananmen stands the Great Hall of the People, the meeting place of the National People's Congress (Chinese parliament) and the host for many special political events. To the east stands the National Museum of China which houses an array of artefacts and cultural relics from China's extensive history. To the north stands the Forbidden City, probably the most famous neighbour of Tiananmen. The Forbidden City was the former residence of the Ming and Qing Emperors and named so as it was forbidden for non-members of the Royal Court to enter. At the front of Tiananmen Gate, which is the entrance to the Forbidden City, hangs a portrait of Mao, looking over Tiananmen Square.

On Tiananmen Square stands the Monument to the People's Heroes, an obelisk shaped commemoration to remember those who served the People's Republic of China. Just south of this monument stands the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong which contains the remains of the late Chairman Mao.