Tiananmen Square

天安门广场

One of the largest city squares in the world, surrounded by the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall and the National Museum of China. Watching the flag-raising ceremony is a Beijing ritual for many visitors.

Tiananmen Square measures 880 meters north to south and 500 meters east to west, and can hold a million people. To the north is the Gate of Heavenly Peace, site of the 1949 founding ceremony of the People's Republic. You can pay RMB 15 to climb the gate. The Monument to the People's Heroes stands at the center. To the south is the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, free from 8:00 to 12:00 Tuesday through Sunday. It requires advance booking, bag storage, and no cameras. To the east is the National Museum of China, which offers free admission with advance reservation and houses the Houmuwu Ding and the Sheep-shaped Square Zun. It is worth half a day. To the west is the Great Hall of the People. The flag-raising ceremony at sunrise is the most popular experience. Plan to queue for security 1 to 2 hours in advance. Sunrise is around 7:20 in winter and 4:50 in summer. Check exact times in the 'Tiananmen Square Reservation' mini-program. Since 2023, entry to the square requires real-name booking up to nine days in advance, and strict security screening applies. Drones and large tripods are prohibited. Getting there: take Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East or Tiananmen West station, or Line 2 to Qianmen station. A suggested itinerary is early-morning flag-raising, then the square, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, Duanmen and Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City. Or go in reverse, walking from Qianmen Street, with its historic shops in Dashilar, toward the square. The square has no shade, so in summer protect yourself from the sun and drink plenty of water.

Tiananmen Square

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