Temple Of Heaven In Beijing: Practical Information For The Visit
The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is the most famous monumental complex in the Chinese capital. It was built according to the Chinese concept of the “heavenly” and the “earthly”. For this reason, the geometric shapes of the circle (symbolizes the sky) and the square (the earth) are very present in its architecture. If you are planning to visit it, this information will be useful to you.
What is the Beijing Temple of Heaven like ?
The Beijing Temple of Heaven (or Tian Tian, in Chinese) is not just a building. It is a complex that constitutes one of the largest sacred precincts in China. It was built in 1420, during the reign of the Ming dynasty.
Both this dynasty and the Qing dynasty used it for the same. On the one hand, in spring, they prayed for future crops. On the other hand, in autumn, the emperor made sacrifices to thank the fruits obtained. In 1998, Unesco declared the Temple of Heaven a World Heritage Site.
As we pointed out, the architecture of the temple is inspired by the “heavenly” and the “earthly”, two Chinese philosophical concepts. The sky was considered round and the earth square. For this reason, circular altars and temples stand on square bases. The park itself where the complex is located is shaped like a semicircle (to the north) located on a square (to the south).
The Tian Tian Park
The Temple of Heaven is located in Tian Tian Park, south of the Chinese capital. This park of the same name is part of the Chongwen neighborhood of Beijing, in the Xuan Wu district. It is 267 hectares in size and is only 3 kilometers from the famous Tian’anmen Square.
This park is a perfect place to relax and entertain yourself. You will find many people practicing Tai Chi, playing Mahjong , dancing and even singing.
How to get to the Temple of Heaven
The easiest way to get to Tian Tian Park and thus the Temple of Heaven is by public transport. Since it is one of the great attractions of the city, many bus lines stop there. If you prefer to go by subway, you have to get off at the stop: Tian Tian East Gate.
Ticket prices for the Temple of Heaven
The entrance price to the walled enclosure varies according to the time of year. If you go between the months of April to October, considered high season, you will not pay the same as if you go from November to March. In the same way, it is not the same to pay to enter the Tian Tian Park as the entrance to all the buildings of the Temple of Heaven.
- Entrance price April-October: ¥ 15 (Chinese yuan) to enter the park; 35 ¥ for the entire venue.
- Entry price November-March: 10 ¥ to enter the park; 30 ¥ for the entire venue.
If you want to hire an audio guide, you can do it for ¥ 40 (Chinese yuan) with a ¥ 50 deposit.
Beijing Temple of Heaven opening hours
In the same way that the price varies to enter the park and the temple itself, the hours also. In addition, depending on the month you go, the venue will have one schedule or another. Next, we describe the different schedules:
- Hours April-October : the park is open from 6:30 in the morning to 10 at night. The monuments are open from 8 in the morning until 5:30 in the afternoon.
- November-March hours : the park is open from 6:30 in the morning to 8 in the afternoon. The monuments are open from 8 in the morning until 5 o’clock in the afternoon.
