Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is located on the south side of Chang'an Avenue and on the traditional central axis of Beijing. It sits at the heart of Beijing City. The center of the square is the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People is on the west side, the National Museum is on the east side, and the Tiananmen Tower is on the north side. It's the world's biggest square as it is 880 meters long from north to south, 500 meters wide from east to west, and covers an area of 440,000 square meters. And you can watch the national flag-raising ceremony which is seen by thousands of people every day. If you come to Beijing, it is the must-go place in Beijing City.

Great Hall of the People

The Great Hall of the People is located on the west of the Square. Constructed in 1959, this remarkable building is the spot of the China National People's Congress meetings. It also provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities. There are twelve marble posts in front of the Hall which has three parts--the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall. The Central Hall is paved with marble on the floor. And the ceiling is decorated with crystal lamps. The seats in the Great Auditorium (which is behind the Central Hall)are 10,000. The huge Banqueting Hall contains 5,000 seats in it.

Flag-Raising Ceremony

the Chinese national flag, Five Star Red Flag, flies high in the sky above the Square. To see the guard of honor raise the Flag is a must-do thing for the tourist visiting Beijing City. You have to get up very early and arrive at the Square before sunrise in order to witness the ceremony as there are crowds of people attending the ceremony every day. The reviewing stands beside the Tiananmen Tower on the west and east sides were opened up for free on the first day of 2012 to the public to watch the flag-raising ceremony. It is now available for group reservations for the opening day on the first day of each month.

Attractions nearby Tiananmen Square