Beijing, Great Hall of the People
The Great Hall of the People is a state building located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It was opened in September 1959, and was one of the "Ten Great Constructions" built for the 10th Anniversary of the PRC. The structure was complited in 10 months by construction workers and volunteers. The Great Hall of the People is a place of legislative and ceremonial activities by the People's Republic of China (PRC) government and the ruling Communist Party of China. The Great Hall is also used for many special events such as national level meetings of various social and political organisations, large anniversary celebrations, likewise the memorial services for former leaders. The Great Hall of the People is also a popular showplace in the city for tourists from all over the world. The building consists of three sections and covers 171,800 square metres (1,849,239 sq ft) of floor space, it is 356 metres in length and 206.5 metres in width. The centre peaks at 46.5 metres. At the eaves of the main gate you can see the national emblem of the PRC hanging.
