Temple of Heaven

천단

The Temple of Heaven is an imperial temple complex in southeastern central Beijing, China. The Ming Yongle Emperor, who also built the Forbidden City, had it built in 1420. Emperors came here every year to pray to Heaven for good harvests. Every roof tile in the complex is dark blue, the colour of Heaven.

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At a glance

Country: China
Location: Beijing, China
Built: 1420
Height: 38 m
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Temple of Heaven?

Temple of Heaven is in Beijing, China.

When was Temple of Heaven built?

Temple of Heaven was built in 1420.

How tall is Temple of Heaven?

Temple of Heaven is about 38 m tall.

Where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests; its round, triple-roofed hall is iconic.

Its most famous building is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a round hall with three roofs, about 38 metres tall and 36 metres wide. The grounds cover about 2.73 square kilometres, and today local people use the park for exercise and fun. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The Hall of Prayer rests on three levels of marble.

Round buildings, square earth

Chinese tradition pictured Heaven as round and Earth as square, so the main buildings are circular. The Circular Mound Altar, a three-tier marble platform, was built in 1530 and rebuilt in 1740, and its measurements are based on the lucky number nine.

The Imperial Vault of Heaven is surrounded by the Echo Wall, which can carry whispers a long way.

The fire of 1889

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is built of wood without nails. In 1889 lightning started a fire that burned it down, and it was later rebuilt in the same style.

Numbers, circles and ceremonies

The Temple of Heaven is full of symbolism. The round Hall of Prayer has four inner pillars for the seasons, twelve middle pillars for the months and twelve outer pillars for the twelve traditional hours of the day. Nine stands for the emperor, so the Circular Mound Altar is made of rings of marble plates in multiples of nine. Twice a year the emperor left the Forbidden City with his court and camped here. He wore special robes and ate no meat, and ordinary people were not allowed to watch the procession. At the winter solstice he performed the main ceremony himself, praying to Heaven for good harvests.

Fun facts

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests burned after a lightning strike in 1889 and was rebuilt.
The Hall of Prayer is made of wood without nails.
Lightning burned it down in 1889.
The park is about four times the size of the Forbidden City, according to Korean Wikipedia.
The Echo Wall around the Imperial Vault of Heaven can carry sound over long distances.
The altar is built around nine, the emperor's number, with nine rings of marble plates.