Tiananmen Square天安门广场
Tiananmen Square lies at the very center of Beijing, framed by the Great Hall of the People, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, the National Centre for the Performing Arts and the National Museum of China. The Monument to the People's Heroes rises at its heart, and the square stands as the stage on which the People's Republic was proclaimed. Flag-raising and lowering ceremonies at sunrise and sunset each day draw huge crowds.
Beijing · Visitor Guide2026-10-27
Quick Answer
Is Tiananmen Square worth visiting?
The world's largest city square — 440,000 sq m, completed in 1959, free and open all day. The dawn flag-raising is a must-see; Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East or West.
Quick facts
| Ticket | Free admission |
|---|---|
| Hours | Daily 0:00-24:00 |
| Recommended duration | 1-2 hours |
| Best time to visit | Spring and autumn — April-May or September-October |
| How to get there | Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East or Tiananmen West; buses 1, 2 and others |
| English signage | Yes |
| Wheelchair accessible | Partial |
| Area | 440,000 sq m |
| Standing | The world's largest city square |
| Completed | 1959 |
| Daily flag ceremony | |
| Security | Security check required |
| Monument | Monument to the People's Heroes |
What to expect
Tiananmen Square is the heart of central Beijing. It was here, on October 1, 1949, that Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the square has been a national symbol ever since. Rectangular in plan, it runs about 880 m north to south and 500 m east to west, with room for a million people to gather.
At the center of the square rises the Monument to the People's Heroes, 37.94 m tall, its face inscribed with eight gilt characters in Mao's hand: "Eternal glory to the people's heroes." Behind it stands the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, where Mao's body lies in state.
Entry requires a strict security check; large luggage and dangerous items are banned. The flag-raising and lowering ceremonies are the must-see — check the day's times in advance. Sights cluster around the square, so plan to combine it with the Forbidden City and the National Museum.
How to get there
Take Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East (Exit B) or Tiananmen West, then walk about 5 minutes to the square's entrances.
Best photo spots
- The front face of the Monument to the People's Heroes
- The flag-raising seen from the square's north side
- The southern view, taking in the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
- The Tiananmen Rostrum at flag-lowering time
Tips
- Look up the day's sunrise time for the flag-raising and arrive an hour early for a spot
- Security is strict — travel light
- The granite paving bakes under the summer sun; bring sun protection
- There is no shade and winter is bitter — dress for the season
Scams to avoid
- Beware "visitors" angling for paid photo ops
- Ignore cheap tour-guiding offers from strangers
Frequently asked questions
What time does the flag-raising start?
It moves with the daily sunrise; check the Beijing municipal government website or call 010-65243322 for the exact time.
Does the square need a ticket?
No — admission is free.
Can I bring a camera?
Yes, but everything passes through security, and tripods must be registered.
Read next
Other things to do in Beijing
798 Art District
Contemporary art in a former East German-designed electronics factory. 200+ galleries, UCCA ¥100. Half day (3–5 hours). Open 24/7, galleries 10:00–18:00. Free district entry.
Badaling Great Wall
The most classic stretch of the Great Wall, 60 km from Beijing at roughly 1,000 m. Entry CNY 40 off-season and CNY 45 in season, cableway extra; allow 2-4 hours.
Beihai Park
Beijing's most central imperial garden — a circular island temple, lotus-covered moat, and white pagoda rising from the lake, walking distance from the Forbidden City. ¥5 park entry, 2 hours.
Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)
The ruins of the 18th-century imperial garden destroyed by Anglo-French troops in 1860 — haunting stone arches, reconstructed marble bridges, and a museum of recovered artifacts. 2–3 hours. ¥10.
Beijing Botanical Garden
Beijing Botanical Garden at the foot of Fragrant Hills, about 200 hectares with 10000+ species; entry 5 yuan, greenhouse 50 yuan more, open 06:00-19:00.
The Forbidden City
The world's largest ancient palatial complex — 980 surviving buildings across 72 hectares. 3-4 hours minimum. Book tickets 7 days in advance.
Fragrant Hills Park
Beijing's most famous spot for autumn foliage: Xianglufeng peak rises 575 m, entry 10 yuan (5 off-season), cableway 100 yuan one way; best in late October, open 06:00-19:00.
Great Wall at Mutianyu
The best-preserved Great Wall section, 70 km from central Beijing. Cable car + toboggan slide. 3-4 hours including travel.
Gubeikou Great Wall
Wild, unrestored Ming Wall section 2.5h from Beijing. Crumbling watchtowers, no crowds, camping allowed. ¥45. Best for hikers and photographers wanting the real Wall.
Jingshan Park (Prospecting Mountain Park)
The best viewpoint over the Forbidden City: Jingshan's 45 m hill tops Beijing's central axis at Wanchun Pavilion; entry 2 yuan, open 6:00-21:00, opposite the palace north gate.
Juyongguan Great Wall
Famed Juyong Pass of the Great Wall near Beijing, rebuilt in the Ming dynasty with 12 watchtowers; entry 45 yuan including the Yuan-era Cloud Platform, open 8:30-17:00.
Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple)
Beijing's largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, once a living Buddha's residence — home to the Hall of the Wheel of Law and its five hundred arhats. Entry CNY 25.
Liulichang (Glazed Tile Factory)
Beijing's antique and calligraphy street with over 800 years of history, about 750 m long and home to Rongbaozhai (founded 1672); free to stroll, shops open 9:00-18:00.
Nanluoguxiang (South Luogu Alley)
Old Beijing's signature hutong — 800 years of history, now a lane of creative shops, snacks and cafes.
National Day 70th Anniversary Exhibition
An exhibition of the People's Republic's achievements across its first 70 years, on the west side of Tiananmen Square. Free, with advance reservation.
National Museum of China
The world's largest museum by floor area, with 48 galleries carrying 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.
Old Summer Palace Ruins Park
Ruins of the famed 'Garden of Gardens', burned by the Anglo-French forces in 1860 — a site that stands as a warning to later generations.
China Art Museum (Red Wall Museum)
China's top art museum, founded in 1962 with 100,000+ works in 21 galleries; free with reservation, 9:00-17:00 and closed Mondays, a 15-minute walk from Dongdan station.
Shichahai
Old Beijing's lakeside hutong-and-bars district — Houhai nights and the filming location of Mr. Six. Free to explore; allow 2-4 hours.
Summer Palace
Empress Dowager Cixi's summer palace in Beijing, about 290 hectares with Kunming Lake covering three quarters; entry 50-60 yuan, 728-metre Long Corridor, built in 1750, UNESCO-listed in 1998.
Working People's Cultural Palace (Imperial Ancestral Temple)
Site of the former Imperial Ancestral Temple southeast of the Forbidden City, with about 140,000 sqm of ancient cypress woods, many Ming-era trees; free with reservation, 6:00-20:00.
Temple of Heaven
Ming and Qing emperors' altar of heaven in Beijing, a 273-hectare park with the 38.2-metre Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests; entry 10-15 yuan or a 34-yuan combo ticket, built in 1420.
Museums in Beijing
798 Art District (798 Art Zone)
Beijing's converted 1950s East German factory complex now packs roughly 200 galleries, cafes, and design shops into about 600,000 sqm of Bauhaus industrial space — a full day of wandering.
Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum
Chinese architectural history from Neolithic to Qing, housed inside the 15th-century Temple of Agriculture (先农坛). ¥15. The Hall of Jupiter ceiling alone is worth the trip.
Beijing Auto Museum
China's automobile history from Chairman Mao's limousine to modern EVs, in a striking turbine-shaped building in southwest Beijing. Rare Hongqi and Shanghai sedans. ¥30.
Beijing Capital Museum
Beijing's city-level museum in its landmark new building — the definitive collection of Beijing's imperial, folk, and modern urban culture. Free with passport; 2.5–3.5 hours.
Beijing Planetarium
China's largest planetarium with two buildings, a 3D space theater, and a 200mm refractor telescope open to the public. ¥45. Excellent for families and space enthusiasts.
Beijing Police Museum
Police history, forensics, and criminal investigation through the ages. Free. Passport required. Allow 1.5–2 hours. One of Beijing's most unusual specialty museums.
Capital Museum
Beijing's city museum: 3,000 years of the capital's history with world-class galleries of ancient bronzes, Buddhist art, and Beijing folk culture. Free.
CAFA Art Museum
China's top fine-arts university museum holds roughly 13,000 works across six floors inside a purpose-built I.M. Pei-adjacent campus; allow 2 to 3 hours.
China Customs Museum
Seized smuggled goods — ivory, endangered animal parts, counterfeit luxury items — and the 2,000-year history of Chinese customs. Free. One of Beijing's strangest museums.
China Railway Museum
Stand inside Mao Zedong's personal train carriage, then walk among dozens of steam locomotives in a vast roundhouse — all for ¥20.
Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution
Beijing's massive free military museum — tanks, missiles, and Korean War exhibits told through a Chinese perspective, housed in a Stalinist architectural landmark. Allow 3–4 hours.
Museum of Chinese Gardens
All Chinese garden styles in one place — from Suzhou scholar gardens to Lingnan tropical courtyards — in a museum with real outdoor gardens and indoor exhibitions. ¥20.
National Art Museum of China
China's flagship state-run art museum with 100,000+ modern Chinese paintings, calligraphy, and folk art; 1.5-3 hours is enough to see the highlights during a single sit-and-skim visit.
National Museum of China
China's premier national museum on Tiananmen Square — 1.2 million artifacts spanning 3 million years of Chinese history.
Palace Museum (Forbidden City)
The imperial palace of Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors for 500 years — 180-acre palace complex with 980 buildings and the definitive collection of imperial Chinese art, furniture, and ceramics.
Red Gate Gallery
China's first privately-run contemporary art gallery, operating since 1991 in a Ming-dynasty watchtower.
Today Art Museum
Contemporary Chinese art in a converted boiler factory. ¥20. One of Beijing's first private contemporary art museums. Experimental and unpredictable.
UCCA Center for Contemporary Art
The anchor museum of Beijing's 798 Art District. World-class contemporary exhibitions. ¥100. The most internationally recognized contemporary art museum in China.