The third-largest city square in the world, Tiananmen Square is a historic site, remembered for many protests that took place in the square, like the pro-democracy protests of 1989 resulting in hundreds of deaths. It is surrounded by important buildings including the National Museum of China, the Great Hall of the People, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Tiananmen Square is separated from the Forbidden City by the Tiananmen Gate.
The Forbidden City, known officially as the Imperial Palace, served as an extravagant home of the emperors of China for about 600 years. Today, the Forbidden City is open to visitors, who can view historical exhibits inside the palace, but while the Imperial Palace was in use, commoners could not approach the building, hence the name, Forbidden City.
The Tiananmen Gate was constructed in 1415 during the reign of the Ming dynasty. Following the demise of the Ming dynasty, the fights between Li Zicheng and the early Qing emperors resulted in demolition of the gate.
The Tiananmen Tower, built in 1417, was primarily used for the announcement of a big ceremony to the common people, particularly about the crowning of the new emperor and the empress. After the demise of the last feudal kingdom, the entry of the common people into the tower was restricted. As a result, only the royal family and aristocrats could enter into the tower.
The Tiananmen Square was built in 1651, and since then it has seen several renovations. The remarkable renovation took place in the 1950s, when the square was enlarged to four times its original size.
One of the largest monuments in China, the granite ‘Monument to the People’s Heroes’, was built in 1952 at the southern side of the square.
source from: mapsofworld
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