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The largest central
square (440,000 square
metres) in the world
holds a million people
and marks the centre
of Beijing. As part of
the square are the Great
Hall of the People, the
Monument to the People's
Martyrs, Memorial Hall
of Chairman Mao Zedong,
and Tiananmen Tower.
Tiananmen Square is the
front door of the Forbidden
City and was used to
declare the next emperor.
The guard of honor raises
the Chinese Flag every
morning and a popular
visitor attraction.
The Gate of Heavenly
Peace (6309 5718) at
the north of the square
leads towards the Forbidden
City. The inscription
on the left says “Long
live the People’s
Republic of China” and
the one on the right “Long
Live the Unity of the
People of the World”.
Good views of the square
can be had from the top
of the Gate.
The granite Monument
to the People's Heroes
in the centre of the
square was built in 1952
and has the words “The
People's Heroes are Immortal “as
written by Chairman Mao
on the monument.
On the western side
of the square is the
Great Hall of the People
(6608 1188) built in
1959 consisting of the
Central Hall, the Great
Auditorium and Banqueting
Hall.
On the eastern side
of the square is the
China National Museum.
Chairman Mao’s
Mausoleum (6513 2277)is
at the south side of
Tiananmen Square and
opened in 1977. The memorial
has 3 halls and the hall
of reverence where Chairman
Mao’s body lies
in a coffin. In the centre of the north hall is a statue of Chairman Mao made of white marble. On the wall
of the south hall is
a poem written by Mao
presented in gold and
written by Guo Moruo,
the calligrapher. Located
at 11 Qianmen Dajie at
the southern end of Tian’anmen
Square.
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