Tiananmen Monument

Address: Tiananmen Square, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China

Hours: Tiananmen Square generally accessible daily; specific buildings have set opening hours

Admission: Free to access the square; some attractions (e.g., Mausoleum of Mao Zedong) may have separate entry rules or fees

Tiananmen is the monumental gate in Beijing that marks the southern entrance to the Forbidden City and faces the large urban plaza commonly called Tiananmen Square. The gate is an iconic national symbol and the site of major state ceremonies.

The adjacent square is one of the world’s largest public squares with an area of roughly 440,000 square metres and contains the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Visitors come to view the gate, the portraits and the square’s memorials and to attend the daily flag-raising and lowering ceremonies.

The present gate structure dates from the Ming dynasty era in the 15th century and has been rebuilt and repaired several times since then, serving as the backdrop for modern political events. On 1 October 1949 the gate area was used for the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China.

Tiananmen stands in the centre of Beijing, immediately north of Chang’an Avenue and at the southern edge of the Forbidden City, within Beijing Municipality’s central district.

• Flag ceremonies: Flag-raising and lowering ceremonies occur daily at sunrise and sunset at the square and draw crowds at those times.

What to See#

• Tiananmen Gate: Tiananmen Gate - the historic ceremonial gate that fronts the Imperial Palace complex and bears the large portrait of Mao Zedong.
• Tiananmen Square: Tiananmen Square - the broad public plaza immediately south of the gate containing the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

Tiananmen Square and the Gate of Heavenly Peace are in central Beijing on Chang’an Avenue. Take Beijing Subway Line 1 to Tian’anmen East or Tian’anmen West stations (both are a short walk to the square) or use nearby Line 2 / Line 4 connections and walk along Chang’an Avenue; many city buses also serve stops around the square.

• Arrive very early (before 8:00) to pass security with fewer queues and to photograph Tiananmen Gate and the square before peak visitor numbers build.
• Approach via Tiananmen East or West metro stations (Line 1) to enter the square directly and avoid longer walks from other central stations; plan extra time for bag checks.
• If you intend to visit both Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, book your Forbidden City tickets ahead and schedule the square visit early-many tourists try to do both on the same late-morning window and run into crowds and timed-ticket conflicts.
• For a classic photo of Tiananmen with fewer people and a higher viewpoint, cross to Jingshan Park north of the Forbidden City-its hilltop view is often overlooked by visitors focused only on the square.