Tian'anmen Square

Tian'anmen Square is the heart of Beijing, the largest central square in the world. As a symbol of the new China, the construction of the square is planned according to the urban plan that was made for the city of Beijing from the year of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The floor of the plaza is all paved with light-colored granite stone. It measures 880 meters long from north to south and 500 meters wide from east to west, and occupies an area of 440,000 square meters, with capacity for one million people in large concentrations. Inside the square, along the central axis of Beijing from north to south, rise successively the national flag mast, the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall and the Zhengyangmen Tower. While on both sides of Tian'anmen Square there are the Palace of People's Culture and Zhongshan Park, all buildings are part of the square. In 1986, it was named one of the "Sixteen Scenarios of Beijing".

In Tian'anmen Square you can see the indomitable revolutionary spirit and the heroism of the Chinese people. The May Fourth Movement, the 12-9 Movement and the 5-20 Movement left their impressive marks on China's modern revolutionary history here, in addition to being the historical witness of China's decline until its rise.

One of the grandest activities held in Tian'anmen Square is the flag-raising ceremony. On October 1, 1949, then Chairman Mao Zedong pressed the electric button to raise China's first five-star red flag. On October 1, 1990, the National Flag Law was enacted in order to require the playing of the national anthem when raising the flag. Since then, the ceremony has been even more solemn. The time of raising the flag depends on the specific time of sunrise, usually 5:00~7:00.

Every day, many people get up early and go to the square to appreciate the solemn ceremony of raising the national flag at sunrise. The best time to visit Tian'anmen Square is sunrise or sunset, when guards raise and lower the national flag. Especially during holidays such as New Year, National Day, the square is decorated with colorful flowers. It will be a good photo opportunity. Of course, it will also be very busy at this time.

All tourists visiting Tiananmen Square must enter from specific entrances, all of which have airport-level security, including metal detectors and X-ray machines. It is best to carry your passport with you in case they check identification. In short, Tian'anmen Square is one of the must-see places when taking a trip in Beijing.