Beijing and China Tour Expert

Tiananmen Square

  • Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the world. Surrounded by many well-known cultural and political institutions, the square is the final resting place of Chairman Mao Zedong. Tian'anmen Square has witnessed the founding of the new China.

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  • ID : 5
  • City : beijing
  • English name : Tiananmen Square
  • Chinese name : 天安门广场
  • Type : popular, cultural, classic
  • Theme : Modern building,Cultural venues
  • Level : easy
  • Kids : possible
  • Elders: possible
  • Best season : Spring and Autumn
  • Visiting length : 2 Hours
  • Distance to city center : 0 km

Introduction of Tiananmen Square

    Located in Dongchang'an Street, the center of Beijing, Tiananmen Square is the largest downtown square in the world. It covers an area of 44 hectares, big enough to hold one million people. From the red wall of the Tiananmen Rostrum in the north to the south gate, it measures around 880 meters, and from the National Museum in the east to the Great Hall of the People in the west, it is about 500 meters.

    The Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong and the Monument of the People's Heroes are located in the center of the square.
    Tiananmen Square is the place where many political and historical events took place. Many travelers come here early and line up for the daily flag-raising ceremony.

Photo of Tiananmen Square

  • Tiananmen Rostrum and Outer Golden Water Bridge on the photo show the north end of Tiananmen Square. National Emblem, photo of Chairman Mao on Tiananmen Rostrum and the clear blue sky remain travelers that you are travelling in the heart of new China.
  • Tiananmen Square photo
  • photo size: 0 * 0 px
  • author: Jasper
  • owner: Beijing Xindong International Travel Service Co,.LTD
  • category: Beijing attraction photo

Highlights of visiting Beijing Tiananmen Square

    The Great Hall of the People, Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong, The Monument to the Peoples Heroes, National Museum, Qianmen Gate, Tian'anmen Rostrum, Working Peoples Cultural Palace, Zhengyang Tower.

Helper to visit Tiananmen Square

  • Address in English : Dongchang 'an Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing,China
  • Address in Chinese : 北京市东城区东长安街
  • Tel : +8610-63095745
  • Post code : 100006
  • Ticket time : 8:30-16:30(Tian’anmen Rostrum)
  • Open time : 8:30-17:00(Tian’anmen Rostrum)
  • Closing time : Null
  • Location : Tiananmen Square is around 0 km to downtown beijing
    • Transportation
      • Subway: Gate A,Tian'anmen square East or Gate B,Tian'anmen square West of Line 1
      • Public bus:
        • 2,5,22,120,126,Night 203,Night 210 (Tiananmen Square East)
        • 2,5,120,126,Night 210 (Tiananmen Square West)
    • Private car is the best method if you visit Tiananmen Square with local tour operator.

Season and Admission

  • High season : 0 RMB/person.
  • Shoulder season : 0 RMB/person.
  • Shoulder season : 0 RMB/person.

Discover Beijing Tiananmen Square

Please send us an email if you can not find Tiananmen Square tour you need on this page. We can tailor a private trip to Tiananmen Square.

Hotels near Tiananmen Square

  • Five star/duluxe hotel
  • Regent Beijing
  • The Peninsula Beijing Hotel
  • Hilton Beijing Wangfujing
  • Beijing Pudi Hotel
  • Grand Hyatt Beijing
  • Sunworld Dynasty Beijing
  • Four star/superior hotel
  • North Garden Hotel
  • Dongjiao Minxiang Hotel
  • Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel
  • Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing
  • Sunworld Hotel
  • Three star/comfort hotel
  • Days Inn Forbidden City Beijing
  • Ocean Hotel Beijing
  • Ping An Fu Hotel
  • King Parkview Hotel
  • Jingshan Garden Hotel-Forbidden City

Map of Tiananmen Square

  • The following map presents the main buildings in Tiananmen Square, from Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower on the south end to Tian An Men Rostrum on the north end; from the Great Hall of the People on the west end to the National Museum on the east end. At the same time, Tiananmen Square is located in the center of the map as well as the city of Beijing.
  • Tiananmen Square map
  • map size: 2000 * 1236 px
  • author: Liuqian
  • copywright: Beijing Xindong International Travel Service Co,.LTD
  • category: Beijing attraction map
  • History of Tian'anmen Square
  • During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Tian'anmen Square was a palace square outside the main entrance of the Forbidden City. It was forbidden to common people. No one have chance to have a look at it. If anyone did, he would be deemed as committing a crime of "illegally peeping at the palace gate". When the officials got to the front of the gate they had to get off the horse and proceed on foot into the palace.
    Surrounded by walls in the east, west and south sides, the square was a place to hold important celebrations and issue decrees to the whole country. It represented the majesty of the imperial power.

    In 1919, the May 4th Movement broke out in Beijing. Students and residents staged a patriotic demonstration in the square. It is the beginning of the new democratic revolution in China against imperialism and feudalism.
    In 1925, the "May 30th Massacre in Shanghai" enraged the Chinese people and roused them into action. To support the just struggle, the patriotic people in Beijing held a grand rally in the Tian'anmen Square.
    On March 18th in 1926, the people of Beijing held a rally in the Tian'anmen Square, denouncing the invasion by the Japanese warship into the territorial waters of China.
    In 1935, students in Beijing launched the December 9th Movement against the Japanese aggression. They held a demonstration in the square.
    On May 20th in 1947, the progressive students of Beijing staged a demonstration in the Tian'anmen Square, demanding the implementation of forming a coalition government, shouting the slogan "Oppose hunger and civil war".
    On October 1st 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong, standing on the Tian'anmen Rostrum, declared to the world that the "People's Republic of China has been founded".

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    • Main scenic spots of Tian'anmen Square
    • Located in the front of the Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square is surrounded by many well-known cultural and political buildings. In the center of the square, stands the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao Zedong and the Monument of the People's Heroes. On the west side is the Great Hall of the People, the east side is the National Museum of China. On the south side are two ancient city towers built in the 14th century, Zhengyangmen Tower and Qianmen Tower are on the south side.
      The Tian'anmen Tower is on the north side. Together with the Working People's Cultural Palace and Zhongshan Park, These majestic buildings and the large square become a must-visit sight in Beijing.
      More Photo

    Similiar Attractions with Tiananmen Square

    • the Great Hall of the People The Great Hall of the People is one of the largest Congressional buildings in the world. Built in 1959, the hall consists of three parts:
      A 10,000-seat auditorium in the center, a banquet hall in the north wing facing changan street, with a seating capacity of 5,000, and offices for the standing Committee of the National People??s Congress of China in the south.
      In addition, thirty-four reception chambers are named after various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, plus Hong Kong and Macao. Each is different from the other in decoration and furnishings to stress their local features.
      Huabiao in Tian'anmen Square In front of the Tiananmen Rostrum stands a pair of marble columns called Huabiao. They are elaborately cut in bas-relief following the pattern of la legendary dragon. Behind the gate stands another pair of similar columns. The story of Huabiao may be traced to a couple of sources.

      One of the versions accredits its invention to one of the Chinese sage kings named Yao, who was said to have set up a wooden pillar in order to allow the ordinary people to expose evil-doers, hence it was originally called a slander pillar. Later it was reduced to a signpost, and now it serves as an ornament.
      The beast sitting on the top of the column is called hou, a legendary animal, which is said to have been a watcher of an emperors behavior. He was doing such duties as warning the emperor against staying too long outside the palace or indulging in pleasure and urging him to go to the people for their complaints or return in due time. Therefore, the two pairs of beasts were given the names wangjinghui (Expecting the emperors coming back) and wangjunchu (Expecting the emperor going out) respectively.

      Zhongshan Park On the West side of Tiananmen, stands Zhongshan Park (Dr. sunyat-sens park), The Park was formerly called Shejitan (Altar of Land and Grain), built in 1420 for offering sacrificial items to the God of Land. It was opened to the public as a park in 1914 and its name was changed to the present one in memory of the great pioneer of Chinese Democratic Revolution in 1928.

      Ritual of Issuing of Imperial Edicts The minister of Rites would receive the edict in Taihedian (Hall of supreme Harmony), where the Emperor was holding his court. The Minister would then carry the decree on a yunpan (tray of cloud), and withdraw from the Hall via Taihemen (Gate of Supreme Harmony).

      1) The minister would put the tray in a miniature longting (dragon pavilion), beneath a yellow umbrella and carry it via Wumen(Meridian Gate),Tiananmen Gate Tower.
      2) A courtier would be invested to proclaim the edict. The civil and military officials lining both sides of the gateway beneath the Tower would prostrate themselves in the direction of the emperor in waiting for the decree to the proclaimed.
      3) The courtier would then put the edict in a phoenix-shaped wooden box and lower it from the Tower by means of a silk cord. The document would finally be carried in a similar tray of cloud under a yellow umbrella to the Ministry of Rites.
      4) The edict, copied on yellow paper, would be made known to the whole country.
      Such a process was historically recorded as Imperial Edict Issued by Golden Phoenix.
      During the Qing and Ming dynasties Tiananmen was the most important passage. It was this gate that the Emperor and his retinue would go through on their way to the altars for ritual and religious activities.

      Chairman Maos Mausoleum Chairman Mao Zedong, the founder of the Peoples Republic of China, passed away on September 9, 1976. In commemoration of this great man, a mausoleum began to be constructed in November 1976, and was completed in August the following year. The Mausoleum was officially opened on September 9, 1977.
      The Mausoleum is surrounded by four groups of sculpture.
      East of the northern entrance is the sculpture depicting the period of the New Democratic Revolution (19191949).
      The west one signifies the great achievements of the Chinese people during the period of socialist revolution and construction since 1949.
      The sculptures in front of the southern gate are figures of workers, peasants, soldiers, intellectuals, technicians and children.

      Inside the Mausoleum are three main sections:
      A white marble statue of Chairman Mao is mounted on a platform in the front lobby. On the wall behind the statue is 24-metre-long (79-foot-long) tapestry fine needlepoint work with beautiful landscapes of the country.
      In the main hall there is a crystal coffin, in which Chairman Mao??s body lies stately with flag of the communist Party covering over him. On the wall of the southern lobby, a poem by Chairman Mao and in his own calligraphy is inscribed in gold inlay. It expresses his full great expectations for the country.

      The Monument to the Peoples Heroes The Monument was built in memory of thousands of martyrs who died for the revolutionary cause of the Chinese people.
      Its construction began on August 1, 1952 and was not completed until 1958. In the form of an obelisk, the Monument was made of more than 17.000 pieces of granite and white marble. The purple piece inlaid in the front of the monument was brought from Qingdao, Shandong Province. It is 38 meters (124ft 8 in) high, the loftiest of its kind ever seen in the country. Not only is it an historic memorial for immortal heroes, but also it is an artistic work of excellent architectural value.

      On the front side of the Monument is an engraved inscription in Chinese characters written by Chairman Mao Zedong, which reads Eternal Glory to the Peoples Heroes!" On the back of the Monument is an article written by Chairman Mao, But in Chinese calligraphy by the late premier Zhou Enlai.
      At the top of the Monument are eight gigantic carved wreathes of such flowers as peony, lotus and chrysanthemum, symbolizing nobility, purity, and fortitude. At the base of the Monument are eight marble reliefs depicting the Chinese historic events since 1840.
      They are:
      1) The Burning of Opium in 1840:
      2) The Uprising of 1851 in Jintian, Guangxi;
      3) The Revolution of 1911;
      4) The May Fourth Movement of 1919;
      5) The May 30th Movement of 1925;
      6) The Uprising of 1927 in Nanchang, Jiangxi:
      7) The war of Resistance against Japanese Aggression from 1937 to 1945;
      8) The victorious Crossing over the Yangtze River by the Peoples Liberation Army in 1949. This relief is flanked by two smaller ones supplying the Front and Greeting the P.L.A.

      Qianmen Gate At the southern end of the square stands the Front Gate, also called Qianmen in Chinese. It is one of the few remaining gates of the city wall. It was built in 1420 in the early Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1977.
      In the old days the wall was guarded by watch towers placed at regular in repulsing enemy attacks. If the first gate was breached, the enemy would still find themselves outside the city wall and would be fired upon from the tower over the inner gate.

      Tiananmen Rostrum Tiananmen rostrum was first built in 1417 and named Chengtianmen (the Gate of Heavenly Succession). At the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was seriously damaged by the war. When it was rebuilt under the Qing in 1651, it was renamed Tiananmen, and served as the main entrance to the Imperial City, the administrative and residential quarters for court officials and retainers. The southern sections of the Imperial City wall still stand on both sides of the Gate. The two stone lions by the gate of Tiananmen, one on each side, were meant as sentries. They gaze toward the middle axis, guarding the emperors?? walkway.

      The tower at the top of the gate is nine-room wide and five-room deep. According to the Book of Changes, the two numbers nine and five. When combined, symbolize the supreme status of a sovereign.
      During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tiananmen was the place where state ceremonies took place. The most important one of them was the issuing of imperial edicts. On October 1, 1949, chairmen Mao Zedong proclaimed on Tiananmen Rostrum the founding of the People??s Republic of China. Since then Tiananmen has been the symbol of China. Chairman Mao??s portrait is hung above the central entrance, flanked by two slogans Long live the People??s Republic of China and long live the Great unity of the peoples of the World. Today, the splendor of Tiananmen attracts million of visitors from all over the world.
      The Rostrum on its top was opened in 1988 to the public for the first time in its history. It offers a panoramic view of the square and the city proper.

      Outer Golden River and Bridge The stream in front of Tiananmen is called Outer Golden River, Wai jinshuihe in Chinese, with seven marble bridges spanning over it. Of these seven marble, historical records everyone has their function:
      Imperial Bridge: the middle one was for the exclusive use of the emperor and was accordingly called Yuluqiao (imperial Bridge).
      Royals Bridges: The bridges flanking it on either side were meant for the members of the royal family land were therefore called Wanggongqiao (Royals Bridges).
      Ministerial Bridges: Farther away on each side of the two were bridges for officials ranking above the third order and were named Pingjiqiao(Ministerial Bridges).
      Common Bridges: The remaining two bridges were for the use by the retinue below the third order and were called Gongshengqiao (Common Bridges). They are the one in front of the supreme Ancestral Temple to the east and the one in front of the Altar of Land and Grain to the west.

      Working Peoples Cultural Palace Working Peoples cultural Palace is located on the east side of the Tian??anmen rostrum.
      The working Peoples Cultural Palace used to be Taimiao (the Supreme Ancestral Temple), where tablets of the deceased dynastic rulers were kept.

      Zhengyang Tower Zhengyang Tower was the front gate of the city of Beijing and the city gates left over from the longest past.
      You can see the Chair Maos Mausoleum from the Gate of Zhengyang Tower.
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