Five monuments that ring the plaza
Each side of the square has one major building — knowing what sits where makes the visit easy to plan.
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The vermilion gate tower with the yellow-tiled roof and the central portrait is the backdrop almost everyone photographs. It was once the formal gate of the Forbidden City under the Ming and Qing dynasties. Today you can climb up onto the gate tower for a view back across the full sweep of the square — but it is a separate ticket of around ¥15 (about ฿75) and must be booked in advance yourself.
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A granite obelisk roughly 38 metres tall stands at the exact centre of the plaza and serves as the reference point you can see from every corner. Its base is carved with relief panels depicting key events in modern Chinese history. The monument is fenced, so you view and photograph it from the surrounding pavement — it is the spot where visitors most often frame a photo with Tiananmen Gate behind it to the north.
The pale stone hall toward the south of the square is free to enter, but the rules are strict and the hours short. It typically opens in the morning, roughly 8 am to 12 noon, closed Mondays, and may close entirely if there is an event on the square. You must show your passport to enter, and bags, backpacks, cameras and drink bottles are not permitted inside — you store them in lockers first. Photography is not allowed inside; visitors dress respectfully and move through quietly in a single line. Hours change often, so confirm before you go.
The long, colonnaded stone building running the length of the square's western side is where national assemblies and major state functions are held. At certain times it opens to visitors to tour the interior halls when no session is taking place — you buy a ticket and check your bags — but the schedule is not fixed and depends on how the building is being used. If you want to go inside, check that day's status first. Most visitors simply admire its scale from the square itself.
The long building on the eastern side of the square is the National Museum of China, one of the largest museums in the world, with collections spanning Chinese history from antiquity onward. It is free, but you must book ahead — reservations open up to 7 days in advance through the official website, with timed entry slots to choose from. Tickets go quickly, you need the physical passport you booked with for ID at security, and bags are checked before you enter. Allow at least 1.5 to 2 hours.