Tiananmen gate
Heavenly Peace.
EditQ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nyx Ning — CC BY-SA 3.0 · 杨志强Zhiqiang — CC BY-SA 3.0 · BarabaszO — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Steve46814 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nowozin at English Wikipedia — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China — CC0
A vast square in the heart of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen, the «Gate of Heavenly Peace», on its northern side, which separates it from the Forbidden City; laid out in 1651 and enlarged fourfold in the 1950s, it is one of the largest squares in the world. It is ringed by major state buildings: the Monument to the People's Heroes at its centre, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, and it is part of the «Beijing Central Axis», inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2024. Visitors come above all for the flag-raising ceremony at sunrise and the lowering at sunset, watched by thousands every day, and the usual way into the Forbidden City starts here through the Tiananmen gate. Entry is free but requires an advance reservation with your name and passport number, plus a thorough security check; it opens 05:00–22:00, per visitor guides. Always carry your passport, as you can't enter without it.
Heavenly Peace.
At sunrise.
On the square.
Central Beijing, south of the Forbidden City
Yes. Entry is free but needs an advance reservation with your name and passport number and a security check; bring the same passport, per visitor guides.
