Tiananmen Rostrum reopens to the public

Tian'anmen Rostrum, a symbol of the nation, reopened to the public on Tuesday after undergoing several years of renovation, according to its management authority.

Tian'anmen was the principal entryway into the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties spanning from the early 15th century to the early 20th century.

Many historic events were held at the gate, including the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China on Oct 1,1949.

According to the WeChat account of the management authority of Tian'anmen Rostrum, people can make reservations to visit through its website or WeChat account at least one day in advance.

There are no on-site tickets available and the authority has not authorized any third-party institutions or individuals to act as ticket agents.

Enthusiasm for visiting the rostrum from the public is high, with the website showing that tickets from Tuesday to Sunday have already sold out. Tickets starting from next Tuesday have not been released yet.

"I am more than excited to hear the news," said Xu Xiaohan, a senior university student studying in Beijing. "As a student from another province, I have always wanted to see the remarkable scenery of Beijing from the rostrum."

Li Xiaoli, a 62-year-old resident in Beijing, who comes from Shanxi province, said she will ask her son to make a reservation for her to go to the rostrum.

"I have learned about it from our Chinese textbooks from when we were little kids. It has always been my wish to feel the history and glory of our country by standing there," she said.

The opening of Tian'anmen Rostrum provides a chance for people to have a deeper understanding of the city and its history.

After Chairman Mao Zedong announced the founding of the People's Republic of China on Oct 1, 1949, from the Tian'anmen Rostrum, the site only opened its doors for important national events, such as receiving distinguished foreign guests, until 1988 when it was officially opened to the public.

At the beginning, the price for entry was 10 yuan ($1.40) for domestic visitors. The price was not low at that time, but more than 600,000 visits were recorded in 1988 alone, according to a report in China Today magazine.

Tian'anmen Rostrum has been closed to the public since June 2018 for maintenance and construction work.

Another cultural relic, the Drum Tower and Bell Tower, will reopen to the public starting on Friday, announced its management authority on Monday.

Lying on the central axis of the capital, the Drum Tower and Bell Tower were built in 1272 and rebuilt twice after fires. At one period in history, they were the time-telling center of the city during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (1271-1911).