Tian An Men Square, located in the center of the city, is the most famous landmark in Beijing and got its name in front of the Tian An Men (Gate of Heavenly Peace) located in the south of the Forbidden City.

On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China in this square. In the following years, many residential buildings and other structures have been demolished, because Mao Zedong wanted to make this square the largest and most spectacular in the world and intended to hold over 500,000 people.

Now, Tian An Men Square is regarded as the largest city center square in the world and covers 40 hectares (880 meters from north to south and 500 meters from east to west). The square contains the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

Every morning, Chinese people gather in Tiananmen Square for the ceremony of raising the National flag. When you get up early, you can see the flags raised at sunrise by army soldiers who are trained to walk at 108 steps at 75 centimeters per minute.