Iconic.

The Tian'anmen, or the Gate of Heavenly Peace, is a monumental gate in the centre of Beijing, widely used as a national symbol of China.

First built during the Ming dynasty in 1420, Tiananmen was the entrance to the Imperial City. Tiananmen is located to the north of Tiananmen Square.

Because of the gate's position at the front of the Imperial City the gate has great political significance. In 1925, when China was ruled by the Nationalist government, a large portrait of Sun Yat-sen was hung at the gate after his death. In 1945, to celebrate the victory over Japan, Chiang Kai-shek's portrait was hung.

On July 7, 1949, pictures of Zhu De and Mao Zedong were hung to commemorate the Second Sino-Japanese War. Since then, from the founding date of the People's Republic of China, a portrait of Mao has been hung at the square.