Beijing - Great Hall of the People

(Local Name: Renmin Dahuitang) The west side of the Square of Heavenly Peace is dominated by the monumental Great Hall of the People (built 1959), which occupies a total area of 171,800 sq.m/205,472sq.yd. The 76m/249ft wide, 60m/197ft long main hall can accommodate over ten thousand people. The building also has a large banquet hall with more than 5000 places and 30 rooms, one for each province, autonomous region and city, each laid out in the style of the region. Held here are the conferences of the national People's Congress, and other most important political conferences.