About Tiananmen Square
The width of the square changes your sense of distance: Tiananmen Gate looks close until you start walking. This space is part of the ceremonial and public complex of the central axis, with the Forbidden City farther north.
The visit depends on a reservation and security checks. Plan a pass-through in the morning, without squeezing in the museum, mausoleum or reviewing stand, which have their own rules. The time to get in can weigh more on the clock than the walk itself.
