Temple of Heaven, Beijing

The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven, is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in southeastern Beijing. The Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) visited the complex annually when they prayed to Heaven for good harvests. The temple complex covers an area of 273 hectares, about four times the size of the Forbidden City. The main buildings were built in 1420 under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) by Emperor Yongle to worship Heaven and Earth.