Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) was the main entrance to the Forbidden City during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Built in 1417, it was first named the Cheng Tian Men, meaning that emperors obeyed the order of Heaven in ruling the country. Destroyed by fire twice, it was rebuilt in 1651 during the Qing Dynasty and renamed Tiananmen. It is also honored as the "Gate of the Nation."

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties grand ceremonies were held at Tiananmen. Composed of the rostrum and gate tower, the building is 34.7 meters high and has five watchtowers. Supported by nine huge columns, the building has a splendid colorful roof of glazed tiles. With painted pillars and carved beams, the hall of Tiananmen Rostrum looks majestic. Sixty huge columns, representing the Earthly Branches designate years, months, days and hours and the Heavenly stems to designate marks of order, stand in perfect harmony to demonstrate the permanent stability of the nation. Tiananmen, a masterpiece of China's ancient architectural art, represents the superb skill and artistic talent of the Chinese people.

As one of the largest city squares in the world, Tiananmen Square occupies an area of 440, 000 square meters-spacious enough to accommodate half a million people. Many annual and special celebrations and assemblies are held here.



Name:Beijing Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang)
City:Beijing
Address:Downtown Beijing
Admission:Free
Hours: 24hours

This article was posted on 2007-08-21
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