10 Things to Do in Tiananmen Square in Beijing

The square became a historic and symbolic place of protest in China after seven weeks of demonstrations, known as the Tiananmen Square protest or movement. But beyond that, this square has a lot to offer tourists, far from the most recent historical events.

The gate to the Forbidden City is one of the most interesting places to see in Tiananmen Square. You can also see some important symbols of the city and even spend some time walking around the square. Regardless of what you want to do, visiting Tiananmen Square is one of the best things to see and do in Beijing.

In the centre of the square is the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, who was the founder of the People's Republic of China. This is one of the most popular and busiest tourist spots in Beijing and is also where the embalmed body of the famous communist leader lies. But before entering the mausoleum, you will have to leave your belongings in a cloakroom at one end of the square.

Inside the mausoleum, you can see the body of the former leader Mao Zedong, and you will be impressed by how Chinese crowds show their respect for this figure by offering flowers and bowing.

When visiting this site, it is important to show respect and behave appropriately within the grounds. To visit this site, I recommend booking a tour of Beijing and Tiananmen Square.

Interesting details

• Price: admission is free if you bring your passport with you.
• Opening hours: you can enter every day from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Location: it is located next to the south gate of the Forbidden City in Tiananmen Square.

If you're looking for an interesting place to walk around near Tiananmen Square, Dashilar is a very pleasant neighbourhood where you can have a coffee, eat Peking duck, buy souvenirs and lose yourself in the small alleys typical of Beijing, known as hutongs.

It was formerly the site where groups of merchants settled in the 13th century. After several reconstructions, it has become a kind of theme park, although it remains an authentic place. I recommend booking a tour of Beijing and Tiananmen Square to discover it in detail.

It is also known for its old shops and traditional architecture, which has been preserved over the years. One thing that this place is known for is that, although it has been rebuilt several times, it still retains the traditional charm that has always characterised it. It is definitely a good option for a tour of Beijing's hutongs.

Interesting details

• Price: this is a public place, so there is no entrance fee.
• Opening hours: Dashilar is a pedestrian area that is usually open all day and night.
• Location: Xicheng in Beijing, China

This impressive monument stands approximately 38 metres high and represents China's heritage and greatness. It is built of marble and granite and features five golden stars representing the Communist Party of China and the four provinces of the country. Construction of the monument began in 1952 and was completed in 1958. Since then , it has become one of Beijing's most popular tourist attractions, as well as an important symbol of the homeland and national unity.

If possible, I recommend booking a tour of Beijing and Tiananmen Square at sunrise and sunset to witness the flag-raising and lowering ceremonies. During these events, the People's Liberation Army guard of honour performs this act, which attracts many curious onlookers, especially local tourists from other provinces.

To see these ceremonies up close, you can position yourself specifically at the Gate of Heavenly Peace and watch the soldiers salute the flag while the national anthem is played. This is definitely an event you should include on your list of things to see in the city, and I recommend signing up for a bike tour of Beijing that takes you to see the flag being lowered at sunset.

Interesting details

• Price: you can visit this important monument free of charge, as it is a public site.
• Opening hours: you can visit this place at any time, but if you want to see the flag-raising ceremony, you will have to go at sunrise and sunset.
• Location: the flag is located in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

This 46.7-metre-high tower is unique in many ways and is a very popular tourist attraction. It is equipped with 25 huge drums and was originally intended to indicate the time in Beijing, a task it performed for six centuries under the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It has witnessed important events in history, such as the Mongol conquest of China and other similar situations.

When you visit the Drum Tower in Beijing, you will see that it is a very colourful and authentic two-storey building. Inside, you can see the 25 drums that were used to mark the hours of the day. Although only one drum remains today, visiting this site is still, along with the Beijing kung fu shows, one of the must-do activities in the city, mainly because this drum is enormous, measuring 1.4 metres in diameter and 2.2 metres in height.

This unique drum is no longer used to mark the hours of the day, but you can still see experts playing the drums for 15 minutes in a show that takes place four times a day, so it is definitely a good place to visit and meet both locals and tourists. Discover it by booking a tour of Beijing.

Interesting details

• Price: you will have to pay around £3.50 to enjoy the interior of the Clock Tower.
• Opening hours: visiting hours may vary, but it is almost always open to the public between 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m.
• Location: you can find it on Gulou Dong Dajie Street, in the Dongcheng district of Beijing, China.

Tiananmen Gate is a historic monument located in the city centre. Book a tour of Beijing and Tiananmen Square and discover this cultural and political icon, the site of Chairman Mao Zedong's portrait and the venue for important ceremonies and parades.

It is also known for the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, when the Chinese government cracked down on protesters calling for democratic reforms.

Similarly, it is the entrance to the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, which you must visit if you travel to Beijing. Tiananmen Gate is a popular tourist attraction for visitors from all over the world, but it is also an important symbol of Chinese history and politics.

Interesting details

• Price: to enter Tiananmen Gate, you will have to pay around €9 per person. If you are travelling with elderly or disabled people, you can pay less.
• Opening hours: Tiananmen Gate is open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Location: It is located in the square of the same name.

The Monument to the People's Heroes is a large granite obelisk located in Tiananmen Square and is the largest statue in Chinese history. It was erected to commemorate the martyrs who fell in various revolutionary struggles in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is the site where national mourning ceremonies are usually held.

The inscription on the front of the monument reads: "The heroes of the people are immortal", carved in Mao's calligraphy. It is located exactly in the centre of Tiananmen Square and was built in 1958. This statue is a reminder of the history and sacrifices that others have made for the country and its people.

It is also important to know that this monument represents a female figure, which in turn symbolises the unity and strength of the Chinese people. Don't miss the opportunity to book a tour of Beijing and Tiananmen Square, discover it in detail and take a few photos.

Interesting details

• Price: this is a public site, so you won't have to pay anything to enter.
• Opening hours: you can visit at any time of the day or night, with no restrictions.
• Location: this obelisk is located in the centre of Tiananmen Square.

Book a private tour of Beijing

The Temple of Heaven is located at the southern end of the old city of Beijing, near Tiananmen Square in the Xuanwu district. It is a huge temple with an area almost twice the size of the Forbidden City, so it is definitely worth a visit on your tour of Beijing.

This was where the Ming and Qing emperors held rituals and sacrifices to honour the heavens and pray for good harvests. Its layout is closely related to Chinese cosmology and is based on the emperor's attitude and respect for rituals. The colours, shapes, sounds and positions of the buildings represent the complex design of the universe.

The Temple of Heaven is one of the most important and interesting places in the city, considering that it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Around the temple, you can also visit a large park where you will see Beijingers practising Taijiquan and Qigong or even enjoying themselves with dancing and singing.

Interesting details

• Price: to enter the Temple of Heaven, you will have to pay around £5 per person.
• Opening hours: you can visit this place between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. However, please note that the last admission is around 9 p.m.
• Location: it is located in the Xuan Wu district, very close to Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

The Great Hall of the People is a very important building in Beijing. It was inaugurated in 1959 as one of the "Ten Great Constructions" to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the People's Republic of China. Since then, it has become one of the most interesting places to see in the square and in the entire city.

This super structure is located at the western end of Tiananmen Square and is one of the most representative icons of the government of the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party. As it is a politically strategic site, it hosts the National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which has been held every five years since 1982, and the Central Committee of the party, which is an annual event.

The Great Hall of the People is open to visitors, but you can only enter through the East Gate, which has an emblem of the People's Republic of China above it. After passing through this gate, you will find a large lobby that leads to the Central Hall. Inside, you will also see the Grand Auditorium, which can seat almost 10,000 people.

Interesting details

• Price: You will have to pay around £5 per person to enjoy this place.
• Opening hours: you can visit the Great Hall of the People from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Location: End of Huitang West Road, at the western end of Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China.

One of the best things to see and do in Beijing, especially if you are passionate about opera, is to visit the Grand National Theatre, also known as "The Egg". It is a uniquely designed building created by French architect Paul Andreu, which opened its doors in June 2007.

You can access the theatre through a lobby located below an artificial lake, and once inside, you can enjoy a space with a capacity for almost 6,500 people. You will love the exterior of the theatre, which is a titanium and glass dome floating on water, making it undoubtedly one of the most iconic buildings in the city.

One of the most striking things about this place is that inside it has different spaces, as if it were an urban district. You will find streets, squares, shopping and leisure areas, waiting rooms and restaurants. So when you enter the Opera House, you will think you are entering a city within a city. Inside, you will also find different art spaces and exhibitions that are open to the public.

Interesting details

• Price: to visit this impressive building, you will have to pay around £5 per person.
• Opening hours: you can visit this site between 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. It is also open every day of the week except Mondays.
• Location: it is located right next to Tiananmen Square.

The Gate of Heavenly Peace is the largest and most iconic monument in Beijing's Forbidden City. You will be impressed by the enormous size of this gate, which has a wide and high arch with three passages, the central one being reserved for the Emperor. Outside the gate are huge marble pillars and statues of imperial guards.

At the top of the gate, you will see a golden inscription known as "Zhengyangmen". You will also see a pair of bronze lions, one on each side of the gate, representing power and good fortune.

Today, this place is quite important for Chinese communist thought and, in fact, a portrait of Mao Zedong guards the entrance to the Forbidden City. This is because it was here that Mao proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, after the fall of the Qing dynasty and the departure of the last emperor. Don't hesitate to book one of the best tours of Beijing and learn all about its history.

Interesting details

• Price: there is no charge to see the Heavenly Gate as it is a public place, so you can enter without paying.
• Opening hours: you can visit this place every day between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Location: it is located in Tiananmen Square.