Dalian has series of austere public squares, each with a tale to tell. Friendship Square is a celebration of soccer which is Dalian residents' favorite pastime; Charms of the Sea Square commands an excellent view of the sea and the mountains beyond; Olympic Square is dedicated to the first Chinese person to participate in the Olympics (a Dalian native); and Zhongshan Square is famous in the region for its open air performances. 

People's Square (Renmin Guanchang) is the largest and most popular of all the city squares.The national flag waves solemnly over various imposing governmental buildings and the monument to the Communist Revolution (a huge statue of a Russian soldier), built to commemorate Soviet Union soldiers who helped re-take the city from Japanese invaders in WWII.

Despite this dominant political atmosphere, recent renovations have helped to make this a pleasant spot. The usual Chinese "Dancing Water" display emanates from the fountain, much to the delight of locals who gather here in the evenings to watch the water "dance" in time with the music. The developments directly behind the square is a new residential zone, with houses and apartments designed in Russo-European style.