Tian'anmen Square is the large plaza of the centre of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen (literally, Gate of Heavenly Peace) which sits to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several key events in Chinese history. The Square is 880 meters from south to north and 500 meters from west to east, covering an area of 44 hectares. Used as a massive meeting place since its creation, its flatness is broken only by the 38 metre high Monument to the People's Heroes completed in 1958, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong completed in 1977. The square lies between two ancient, massive gates: the Tiananmen Gate to the north and the Zhengyangmen (Front Gate) to the south. Along the west side of the Square is the Great Hall of the People. Along the east side is the National Museum of China. Chang'an Avenue, which is used for parades, lies between the Tian'anmen and the Square.