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Home Travel in Beijing Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square
Travel in Beijing

Tiananmen SquareTian'anmen Square (tiān ān mén guǎng chǎng 天安门广场) is the heart and symbol of Beijing and is the biggest square in the world. Tiananmen ( Gate of Heaven Peace ), which is on the north of the square, is originally the frontispiece of the imperial city of Ming and Qing Dynasties, constructed in the fifteenth year of Ming Yong Le. The original name of it is the Gate of Heavenly Succession (Chentianmen), which means shouldering the duty from the Heaven. In the eighth year of Emperor Shunzhi (shùn zhì dì 顺治帝) of Qing dynasty it was reconstructed and got its name Tian An Men Rostrum. Tiananmen Rostrum is 33.7 meters high, it is a peak city gate tower with double eaves. The Rostrum is nine Ying wide and five rooms deep. Numbers nine and five symbolize the most superiorily.

There are 60 huge and towering columns on the rostrum where floor is paved with gold brick. There are chestnut lattice fan gate on south and north. There painted Chinese traditional auspicious picture and gold dragon colored painting on Tian Hua Gate and girder. There are five arch passages in the face of the Rostrum and the path in the very middle is especially reserved for the Emperor himself. Tiananmen is the place of issuing imperial edicit by emperors of Ming Dynasty (míng cháo 明朝) and Qing Dynasty (qīng cháo 清朝). It is used when there are important celebration activities, such as ascending the throng of new emperor, marriage and sacrifice, and the parents of the emperor come into the Palace. In addition, before the emperor personally led his soldiers in a military operation or senior generals go out for a battle, they should hold sacrifice in front of Tian'anmen and pray for victory. There is the outer golden water in front of city gate tower and seven jade stone bridges run across the river. The most spacious bridge in the middle the “ Imperial Bridge ”which is used by the Emperor exclusively. The “Royals'Bridges” on the two sides of the “Royals'Bridges” is used by officials above rank three. Official and soldiers below rank four and servant could only use the “ Common Bridge . Common Bridges run across before the Imperial Ancestral Temple (nowadays the Working People's Cultural Palace ) and the State Temple (nowadays Zhongshan Park ). Tiananmen has been repaired four times after 1949.

 

Come out of Tiananmen, and then enter into the largest city-central square of the world Tian'anmen Square. It is 500 meters wide ,880 meters long and the ground is paved with light granite slate disposed through special technology treatment. The flag-raising ceremony at sunrise and flag-lowering ceremony at sunset are the most magnificent rites.

On the west of Tiananmen Square it is the Great Hall of the People, the meeting place of national people's congress of the People's Republic of China . The Great Hall with huge and complicated engineering was built within ten months, possessing central hall, great hall, banqueting hall with 7000 square meters, office building of people congress standing committee and hall named with all provinces and autonomous region. The whole area is 172.000 square meters and there are 25 huge columns at the front of frontispiece. Visiting time is from 9:00 to 1400, and the price is 15 Yuan. You can enter to visit from east gate.

the Great Hall of the People

On the east of Tiananmen Square is The National Museum of China, and visiting the exhibition is like reading concise China General History. Here is state special museum of collecting, exhibiting and researching China ancient and neoteric cultural relics.

The National Museum of China

There are Monument to the People's Heroes and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum on the south. Its external design adopts the session of China People Politics Consultative Conference in 1949. Its external design adopts the project made by Professor Liang Sicheng. Moument is composed of 413 granites and monument base is paved of 17.000 granites and white marbles. There are eight white marble sculptures on the monument seat: including a series of importanti history events, Such as Opium burning in Humen, Jintian Uprising. Wuchang Uprising. The May 4th Movement of 1919. the May 30th Movement of 1925, Nanchang Upring. War against Japan and Successful Crossing of the Changjiang River. Design of the tower represents perfect quintessence of socialism practical art and symbolizes Chinese revere and memory for reolution martyr.

the People's Heroes

Chairman Mao's Mausoleum started to construct in November 1976 and completed in May 1977. The area is 2000 square meters and it is composed of north hall ( the place holding memorial activity), viewing hall (crystal hall special for Chairman Mao relique) and south hall. In addition, there are Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi and Zhu De revolution achievement memorial rooms. If you want to view Chairman Mao's dead portrait, please pay attention to opening time: the whole day of Monday, Wednesday and Friday and A.M 8:30-11:30 and P.M 1430-1640 of Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday. Specially notice: any kinds of bags of visitors should be deposited before visiting and don't wander around at will and make noise when you enter into viewing hall.

Chairman Mao's Mausoleum


Contact
Address:Tiananmen Square, the center of Beijing city
Postcode:100006
Tel:65243322
http://www.tiananmen.org.cn

Map

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Attractions nearby:
The forbidden City
Zhongshan Park
Beijing Working People's Culture Palace (The Altar of Ancestor)

Opening Time

  • Tiananmen Square: 5:00-22:00
  • Tiananmen Rostrum: 8:30-17:00
  • The Great Hall of the People:January-March,December 9:00-14:00, April-June 8:15-15:00, July and August 7:30-16:00, September to November 8:30-15:00
  • Chairman Mao's Mausoleum: 8:30-11:30, 14:00-16:00, Monday closed
  • The National Museum of China: 8:30-16:30, Monday closed
  • Zhengyanmen (South Facing Gate): 8:30-16:00
  • Duanmen (Upright Gate): 9:00-16:20

Ticket Price

  • Tiananmen Square: Free
  • Tiananmen Rostrum: RMB 15, student ticket RMB 5
  • The Great Hall of the People: RMB 30, student half
  • Chairman Mao's Mausoleum: Free
  • The National Museum of China: RMB 10, student half (every Friday from 12:00, students free).May 18th, all visitors are free.June 1st, children under 14 are free.
  • Zhengyangmen (South Facing Gate): RMB 10, student half
  • Duanmen (Upright Gate) RMB 10

Bus Line

  • Take No.1、2、5、7、9、10、17、20、22、44、48、53、54、59、110、120、309Zhi(支)、Special 1、Special 2、Special 3、Special 4、703、726、729、742、803、808、819、826、848、859、922 and get off at Zhongshan Park stop, Tian An Men stop or Qianmen stop.
  • Take subway Line 1 at Tiananmendong(Tiananmen east) or Tiananmenxi(Tiananmen west) Subway Line 2 at Qianmen Station


Tips

  • The square has been used for many prominent ceremonies, parades and protests. It is also a popular spot for kite flying, family strolling and tourist sightseeing.
  • The daily flag ceremony at the square, performed at sunrise and sunset each day, is most exceptional and well-worth making time to view.
  • The time for the flag ceremony
  • On the 1st day of each month and other important dates for national ceremonies(such as May 1st, Oct. 1st) a special holiday flag ceremony is held. The national anthem is played by the military band while a tape recording is played for ordinary ceremonies.
  • If at all possible, you must go check out the square at night as well as during the day. The atmosphere at night is different again and the square is beautifully lit.
  • Getting to Tiananmen Square is best done by subway or walking as taxis are not really allowed to stop anywhere near it.