Brief information on Temple of Heaven

Covering an area of 273 hectares, the Temple of Heaven is the place where the Emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to Heaven to pray for good harvests. It is much bigger than Forbidden City. Because the Chinese Emperors considered themselves as “the sons of Heaven”, they could not build their residence bigger than the dwelling of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven was listed as a World Heritage site in 1998 by UNESCO.

The Temple of Heaven is divided into the inner part and outer part by two enclosed walls. The main architectural features are the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Circular Mound Altar. The Circular Mound Altar and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests were built from south to north.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is in the north of the Temple of Heaven, and it is the earliest building in the Temple complex. It was destroyed in 1889, and then reconstructed several years later. Today the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a circular building 32 meters in diameter.

The Imperial Vault of Heaven is located in the south of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and is a smaller version of the larger hall. The structure was made of bricks and timber. It was used to place the memorial tablets of the Gods. It is surrounded by a circular wall, called Echo Wall, which can transmit sound over long distances.

The Circular Mound Altar is a place where emperors hold ceremonies to pray for heaven. It was first built in 1530 and rebuilt in 1749. There are two walls in the Circular Mound Altar which symbolize the saying “heaven is round and the earth is square”.

Hours: Whole day
Transportation: Take bus No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10