Temple of Heaven

Temple of Heaven main | architecture | function | history | ritual | sceneries

Temple of Heaven , the first of the five sacrificial temples in Beijing, is situated south of Beijing city. It was first built in 1420, along with the construction of the Forbidden City. The Temple of Heaven covers an area of 273 hectares. It is the best preserved and largest sacrificial building complex in the world. Laid out precisely according to pattern the building structures of the Temple of Heaven are unique in the art of architecture. The whole complex, gorgeously painted and set off by thousands of pine and cypress trees, provides a harmonious atmosphere for sacrificial ceremony as if heaven and earth are integrated into one.

Function
Temple of Heaven was the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties (about seven hundreds years ago) came to perform worship to the God of Heaven and pray for good harvests. Discover more...

The World Heritage Committee inscribed the Temple of Heaven on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria:

• The temple of Heaven is a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the world's great civilizations.
• The symbolic layout and design of the Temple of Heaven had a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries.

As famous as the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, it is a "must" for every visitor.