Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square World's largest public square, covering 40ha (98 acres) in Beijing, China. On the s side, a marble monument is dedicated to the heroes of the revolution. A gate on the the n side leads into the Forbidden City. A huge portrait of Mao adorns the side of the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. On May 4, 1919, China's first mass public rally was held in the square, and on October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China. In 1966, Mao made his pronouncements on the Cultural Revolution to more than one million Red Guards assembled in the square. In April 1989, a series of nationwide pro-democracy demonstrations culminated in the occupation of the square by protesters. Hundreds of thousands of citizens joined in the demonstrations. On June 4, 1989, tanks and troops stormed the square. Official casualties were put at more than 200 demonstrators and dozens of soldiers. Eyewitness reports suggest thousands of deaths. The government imposed a year-long martial law and executed several student leaders.