On Sep. 30, 1949, the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference raised the idea of building a monument in Beijing to commemorate the people’s heroes who were sacrificed in the people’s liberation war and revolution. At 6pm on the same day, a cornerstone-laying ceremony was held at Tiananmen Square. Chairman Mao and the delegates attended the ceremony. The construction of the Monument to the People's Heroes started on August 1, 1952 and was finished on April 22, 1958.