1) The Temple of Heaven天坛

The Temple of Heaven is arguably one of the grandest Temples in China and is a must see for anyone passing through Beijing. It was built by the Emperor Yongle from 1406 – 1420 who, incidentally, also built the Forbidden City and the Big Bell Temple. The park layout and building structures are full of fascinating religious symbolism.

The park itself is rectangular at the bottom and circular at the top symbolising the relationship between heaven and earth. The Chinese believed that the Emperor was the son of Heaven who acted as their intermediary between the heavens and earth. Because of this belief public ceremonies were of great importance and the Emperor would come here every solstice to pray for an abundant harvest. The temple was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and holds a number of magnificently preserved buildings and courtyards. The most captivating aspect of this site are the contrasting lines of symmetry in the constructions. Avid photographers could spend hours lost in time here.

Add: 7 Tiantan Nei Dongli, Chongwen District, Beijing

地址：北京崇文区天坛内东里7号

Opening Hours: 06.00 – 22.00 (although tickets are unavailable after 17.00)

Entrance Fee (peak season): 15 RMB (certain sections require additional tickets which range from 10 – 35 RMB).

Getting there: Take subway line 5 to Tiantanmen Dong station and leave from Exit A1. This will lead you to the east gate of the Temple of Heaven.