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Hours:
8:00am to 5:30pm (although the park opens at 6:00am to 8:00pm)
Address:
Tiantan Gongyuan
天坛公园
Phone Number:
+86 (0)10 6702 8866, 6701 2402
Price:
30-35 yuan all inclusive The Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) is one of Beijing’s most distinctive landmarks and often appears on the cover of city and tourist guides. The most impressive building in the park is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The structure’s three-tiered roof and golden dome are certainly among Beijing’s most recognizable symbols.
This beautiful temple is situated in the middle of one of Beijing’s biggest and most-beloved parks. The park can be entered through a number of gates, but most visitors enter through the East Gate. The park is very tranquil and is an ideal place to stroll and escape the bustle of the city just outside the temple walls. If you are lucky you may get to hear some impromptu traditional Chinese music as many locals often gather to play traditional musical instruments and sing. Others come to the park to engage in other activities such as dancing, flying kites, practicing tai chi or playing cards and board games.
The temple was built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty. It is said that on the day of the winter solstice the Emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties would go from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices such as jade, silk, porcelain and animals to the heavens as well as to pray for good harvests. However, this system of sacrificial worship was abolished in 1912. The northern part of the park is semi-circular and is said to represent the heavens. Conversely, the south part of the park is square and is said to represent the earth.
The Echo Wall and the Three Echo stones are known for their impressive acoustics. However, as hearing the echos requires silence, it is unlikely that you will actually hear your own echo as there are bound to be other visitors milling about at the same time as you. The Echo Wall is under repair until November 30th, 2006.
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Need to go back again!
May 08, 2009 — GuestI think the first time i went to Beijing the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) was with my parents and at that time i was only 4 years old, so can remember anything, only some old pictures can bring me some flashes, but i dont think that`s good enough, i really like Chinese ancient buildings and Temples i want to go back and to see what it is now and feel it with my adult eyes.
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Can u believe that, i am now in Beijing and already went to many places these days.
May 13, 2009 — GuestWe were at Temple of heaven on Monday morning, the tour guide said it used to be served Ming and Qing dynasty emperors as a vast scared space to perform ceremonial rites on behalf of the Chinese nation.
Besides the Temple of the Heaven, it also includes a large verdant park that`s worth visiting on its own, especially in the early morning when limber septuagenarians practice calisthenics. The Temple of Heaven incorporates several religious structures, the crown jewel of which is the Hall for the Prayer of Good Harvests.
And another thing you can not miss is the Echo Wall, however, on a crowded day when every visitor attempts this experience, all you may hear is a cacophonous muddle.
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