The Great Hall of the People

The Great Hall of the People is located at Tian'anmen Square. It is where the National People's Congress is held and also where state leaders hold diplomatic meetings and the masses stage political activities.

As one of the "Ten Great Constructions" completed in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of PRC, it was built in just 10 months between October 1958 and September 1959. Facing east, the hall covers an area of 150,000㎡, 336m long from south to north, 206m wide from east to west and 46.5m high. The building area reaches to 171,800sqm, even larger than that of the Forbidden City, hence the largest among hall structures in the world.

The grand hall takes on a "山" shape in a bird's eye view, with center wing higher than the two outer wings, and has doors on four sides. The main gate of the great hall is the East Gate, the lintel above which is beset with the national emblem of PRC.

Inner Structures: The hall is divided into three sections. The central part mainly includes the Great Auditorium, and the Central Hall. The northern section consists of the State Banquet Hall, the Salute State Guest Hall and other magnificent halls. The southern part is the administrative building of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of China. Each province, special administrative region and autonomous region of China has its own hall within the Great Hall, such as Beijing Hall, Hong Kong Hall and Taiwan Hall. Each hall is uniquely decorated and furnished according to the local style of the province it represents.

Great Auditorium & Central Hall: Entering through the East Gate, and passing through two halls, one will reach the Central Hall. Covering an area of 3,600sqm, The Central Hall has a colorful marble floor and walls. Six main gates standing in the Central Hall lead to the Great Auditorium. In the heart of the Great Hall, the Great Auditorium is 60m deep from east to west, 76m wide from south to north and 33m high. Fan-shaped, the dais is visible everywhere. The Great Auditorium seats 3,693 in the lower auditorium, 3,515 in the balcony, 2,518 in the gallery and 300 to 500 on the dais, holding as many as 10,000 representatives in total. The lower auditorium is equipped with electrical devices, available for simultaneous interpretation into 12 languages. The ceiling is decorated with a large ruby like star surrounded by a galaxy of lights.

Salute State Guest Hall & State Banquet Hall: Entering through the North Gate, passing through two halls, one will reach the Companionship Hall. With an area of 4,500sqm, the Companionship Hall is paved with marble floor. To the east is the State Guest Meeting Hall and to the west is the State Guest Banquet Hall, serving as the sites for state leaders to meet and the banqueting of state guests. To the south is a big white marble staircase with 62 steps that led up to the State Banquet Hall. At the top of the staircase is the Salute State Guest Hall, the place for state leaders and guests to take group photos as souvenirs before the banquet. The biggest traditional Chinese painting of the Great Hall, Jiangshanruciduojiao (Literally means "Beauty is the land"), is placed in the Salute State Guest Hall. The State Banquet Hall rests on the second floor. With an area of 7,000 square meters, it can entertain 7,000 guests, and up to 5,000 people can dine at a single sitting, as was done on the occasion of Richard Nixon's visit to China in 1972.

The Great Hall of the People is the political hub of Beijing and home of the National People's Congress. Every year, in March, it plays host to the "two sessions" (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the National People's Congress) event.

You've probably seen the Great Hall of the People in the news hundreds of times and even dreamed of freely exploring it one day. But when you finally visit Beijing, you might forget all about it. To remind yourself, we suggest you save this guide and follow it step by step.

1. Recommended Tour Route

Recommended route: Main Entrance - Central Hall - Hunan Hall - Liaoning Hall - Great Auditorium - Second Floor East Hall - Shanghai Hall - Reception Hall - Banquet Hall - Guangdong Hall - Sichuan Hall - Press Conference Hall - Great Hall of the People Building

2. Must-See Highlights

Great Auditorium: This is the heart of the Great Hall of the People, renowned for its grand dome and pillarless design. The central red star light at the top symbolizes the unity of the 56 ethnic groups, with smaller surrounding lights representing their solidarity. The red star light was manufactured in Dongguan.

Reception Hall: This hall features the largest artwork in the Great Hall of the People, the traditional Chinese painting "A Land So Rich In Beauty". It is also the place where leaders take group photos before banquets.

Banquet Hall: Although it is not frequently used for banquets, the Banquet Hall is still lavishly decorated. The central crystal glass chandelier and the gilded plaster sculptures around the hall highlight its unique artistic style.

Other Must-See Halls: If time is limited, make sure to visit Hunan Hall, Liaoning Hall, Shanghai Hall, Guangdong Hall, and Sichuan Hall. These halls display cultural characteristics and artworks from various regions, providing a window into the cultural and artistic diversity of China.

3. Ticket Reservation

Price: Adults 30 yuan, students half-price, free for seniors and children

Release Time: Tickets for the third day are released every day at 5:00 PM. Closed on Mondays.

Opening Hours: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Please arrive on time as the hall is cleared at 3:00 PM.

4. Tips

Near the exit of the first-floor lobby, you can get paper cups with "Great Hall of the People" printed on them for photos or water.

Milk, beverages, and liquids like Eight Treasures Congee are not allowed inside, but you can bring an empty water bottle to fill inside.

Selfie sticks and power banks are allowed.

The exhibition hall is outside the main building of the Great Hall of the People, on the right side, with an entrance in a semi-basement.

Children are not required to have tickets and can enter without a reservation.

Once you have a reservation for the Great Hall of the People, you don't need a separate reservation for Tiananmen Square. After your visit, you can stroll around Tiananmen Square, see the Monument to the People's Heroes, and watch the flag-lowering ceremony.