
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is a masterpiece of Chinese architectural and landscape design, located in the southeastern part of central Beijing. Built during the Ming Dynasty between 1406 and 1420, this imperial complex was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would perform annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvests. The entire complex covers 273 hectares and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its most iconic structure, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, is a magnificent circular wooden building with a triple-gabled roof, constructed entirely without nails. The temple symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven in Chinese cosmology, with its precise layout and symbolic design representing the philosophical and religious beliefs of ancient China.