Temple of Heaven

A note left hereWe visited during a summer weekday, and the crowd was still manageable. Most people were gathered at the main attractions: the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, and the Circular Mound Altar. Aside from these popular spots, the park was spacious, with locals enjoying their time outdoors. I highly recommend purchasing the full ticket package. Some attractions require tickets, and I found the price to be well worth it. The structures are incredibly beautiful and st…

A note left hereThis place is simply beautiful. The architecture is so intricate and colorful. The art is majestic. Although quite crowded, the visit was still pleasant (I went on a Sunday afternoon). Although there are a couple of interesting sites in this area, I only went to the main temple site. They do have museum-style exhibits in some of the buildings surrounding the temple, but those are mostly in Chinese-only. You can buy ice cream in the shape of the temple before entering the area where the temple…

A note left hereThe Temple of Heaven is absolutely spectacular, but the first thing that hits you is the sheer scale of the place. The grounds are massive—roughly four times the size of the Forbidden City, which sits just a quick three miles north—so you definitely want to give yourself plenty of time to explore everything if your schedule allows. While the main temples themselves are iconic and every bit as stunning as you’d expect, there is so much more to see here. Sprawling green park spaces, historic si…