Tiananmen Square

Political and historical square in the heart of the capital
Word to the wise: The streets surrounding the square are often heavily trafficked. Skip the taxi ride and hop on the subway instead (Tiananmen East, Tiananmen West, line 1).

At the heart of the capital lies the world's largest square, which has served as the site of several significant political events.
Anyone who visits Beijing ends up at Tiananmen Square at some point - it's the indisputable centre of the city. It was here that the People's Republic was proclaimed in 1949, and it was here that the mass meeting of millions was held during the hysteria of the Cultural Revolution. Most famously, this is the site where the Chinese government violently clamped down on mass student protests in 1989, leading to the massacre of several hundred people.

Encircled by imposing soviet buildings, the vast concrete expanse is punctuated by red flags and patrolling soldiers, with the Monument to the People's Heroes at its centre. The square is majestic to behold from the Tiananmen Gate - the northern gate of the square, marked by the huge portrait of Mao Zedong - from which the magnitude of the square can be appreciated.