Tiananmen Square, Beijing

Tiananmen Square, at the heart of Beijing, China, is one of the largest public squares in the world. Spanning an enormous 440,000 square meters, it can hold over one million people. This vast expanse of open space is not only a social and cultural gathering place but also a symbol of China's historical narrative.

Constructed in 1651 and significantly enlarged in the 1950s, Tiananmen Square has been the site of numerous key political and historical events in Chinese history. Among these is the founding of the People's Republic of China by Chairman Mao Zedong on October 1, 1949. The square is flanked by imposing state structures, including the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, where the embalmed body of Mao rests.

At the center of the square stands the Monument to the People's Heroes, a 38-meter obelisk that honors the martyrs of revolutionary struggles throughout Chinese history. Another significant feature is the Tiananmen Gate itself, adorned with a portrait of Mao Zedong, which serves as the entrance to the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Tiananmen Square is not only a tourist attraction but also a potent symbol of the Chinese state. It's a place where locals and visitors alike gather to witness the grandeur of the Chinese capital, to stroll across its vastness, and to reflect upon the complex tapestry of China's past and present.

The square is open to the public daily and is often the focal point for national celebrations and military parades. Despite its grandiosity and the allure it holds, the square is also remembered for the pro-democracy protests of 1989 which were violently suppressed, an event that remains a sensitive and tightly controlled subject within China.