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A view of Huabiao Ornamental Pillars or Tiananmen Tower ~Chinese: 天安門塔~ at Tiananmen Square in Forbidden City, China. The huge open expanse of Tiananmen Square lies in the center of Beijing. Possibly the number one tourist destination in the city, the square attracts thousands of visitors every day. These ornamental pillars here in front of Tiananmen are made of white marble. In Chinese, they are called Huabiao, and they are a common feature at most of China's ancient buildings. A stone column rests on a round or octagonal base and is surrounded by a railing. Dragons are carved into the column and at the top a life-size stone animal keeps watch.