Temple of Heaven

Tourist Attractions in Beijing: Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)

The Temple of Heaven in the southern part of Beijing. Occupying an area of 273 hectares, it is three times the area of the Forbidden City. The Temple of Heaven was where the emperor came every winter solstice to worship Heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest, It was built in 1420 for emperors to worship Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is seen as the most holy of Beijing's imperial temples. It has been described as "a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design". All the buildings within the Temple have special dark blue roof tiles, representing the Heaven. In 1998 Temple of Heaven was listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.