Tiananmen Square is the heart of Beijing

Tiananmen Square is the largest public square in the world. Its territory is 440 thousand square meters. At the same time, up to one million people can gather at Tiananmen Square during holidays or special events. Being in the square, tourists can climb the Tiananmen tribune. Every morning at dawn on the square held a ceremony of raising the national flag of China. Many tourists come at this time specifically to attend this ceremony. You can also visit the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square. In the mausoleum is the body of the great Chinese leader.

The Tiananmen Square also houses the Monument of the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. To the north of the square is the Forbidden City, and to the south - the Temple of Heaven.

Tiananmen Square Description
In the northern part of Tiananmen Square on its central axis, passing from north to south, is the Tiananmen grandstand. This tribune during the reign of the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644) and the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) was the main gate of the imperial palace. Initially, these gates were called Chengtianmen (Gates bearing the sky). This name alluded to the connection of the emperor, who passed through this gate, with the sky. According to the then concepts, the emperor was the representative of Heaven on earth. In the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Shunzhi, which corresponds to the year 1652, the gate was reconstructed and named Tiananmen. This phrase is translated as "Gates of the heavenly world." Since then, during almost all the important events, the emperor and the members of his court passed through this gate. These were such significant events as the emperor's enthronement, the wedding of members of the imperial court, the emperor's rite to the war, the famous ceremony called "The Imperial Decree issued by the golden phoenix", a prayer before Heaven and Earth, a prayer for the five cereals and many others.

History
Magnificent gates have five passes. In the era of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912), only the emperor himself could pass through the central passage in the gate. Usually he passed through this gate on the way to the Forbidden City. The emperor passed through the central gate when he went to the altars for rituals and other religious events. High-ranking government officials, empresses, concubines, princes, and princesses could enter the Forbidden City only through the gate aisles located at the edges. Ordinary residents are strictly forbidden to enter the territory of the Forbidden City. Hence its name. Tribune Tiananmen has a height of 34.7 meters. It looks even more gorgeous in bright sunshine. This tribune has a yellow tiled roof and dark red walls and columns.

In front of Tiananmen Square, there is the Golden Gate Bridge and the white Huabiao, a pair of decorative columns made of white marble and decorated with dragons. They are sometimes also called “pillars for complaints”, since in ancient times people came here and left their complaints and suggestions for the emperor. There are also a pair of large stone lions.

Tips: The national flag raising ceremony is held every morning during sunrise. At sunset, the ceremony of lowering the flag.

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