| Chairman Mao Memorial Hall | |
|---|---|
毛主席纪念堂 | |
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| General information | |
| Type | Memorial Hall, Mausoleum |
| Location | Tiananmen Square |
| Town or city | Beijing |
| Country | China |
| Coordinates | 39°54′04″N 116°23′29″E / 39.9010°N 116.3915°E |
| Named for | Mao Zedong |
| Groundbreaking | November 24, 1976 |
| Completed | May 24, 1977 |
| Renovated | 1997–1998 |
| Known for | Final resting place of Mao Zedong |
| Website | |
| jnt | |
The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (simplified Chinese: 毛主席纪念堂; traditional Chinese: 毛主席紀念堂; pinyin: Máo Zhǔxí Jìniàn Táng), also known as the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, is the final resting place of Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party from 1943 and the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from 1945 until his death in 1976.
Although Mao had wished to be cremated, his wishes were ignored and his body was embalmed. The construction of a memorial hall as his final resting place began shortly after his death. This highly popular attraction is located in the middle of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It stands on the previous site of the Gate of China, the southern (main) gate of the Imperial City during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The embalmed body of Chairman Mao is preserved in the cooler, central hall of the memorial hall in a glass case with dim lighting; it is guarded by a military honor guard. The memorial hall is open to the public every day except Mondays.[1]