Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven (Chinese天坛/天坛, Pinyin Tiantan ) is a temple complex in Beijing, where the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed every year for a good harvest.

The facility is located in the former Chongwen District in the south of the city in a large park. The whole complex is surrounded by a mile-long double wall. In the northern part of the plant, the walls have a circular plan, while the southern floor plan is rectangular. Seen from above, ie, the wall layout looks like an elongated dome. This form comes from the idea that the sky is round and the earth is square. Due to the double wall around the entire system, at a distance of several meters, creates an inner and an outer region of the temple. The main building of the complex are located in the inner region. Also, the inner region is divided by a wall, forming a northern and a southern part of the temple.

In the northern part there is the most important building of the temple, the "Hall of Prayers for Good Harvests " ( Qiniandian祈年殿), also called " Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests " called. The 36 meter wide and 38 meter high circular building has a circular plan and stands on a three-tier marble terrace. This approximately 20 -meter-high terrace base has similarities with the Central American stages temples. The hall was built in 1420 by Emperor Yongle, burned in 1889 and was rebuilt in 1890 and is a landmark of Beijing. This northern area mainly served as an altar in the spring to pray for the harvest.

In the southern part is the second large building, the " Hall of the heavens ", a smaller, also circular temple hall. It is surrounded by the " Echo Wall ", an absolutely smooth and exactly circular wall. Its round shape sound waves are guided along the wall and can be seen on the wall everywhere. So you talk to the Echo Wall, you can even listen to the opposite point of what was said. This principle is known as Flüstergewölbe in Europe, locks and pins as Flüsternische.

The southern hall served together with the three-tier marble terrace, which they as well as the northern portion, as an altar during the winter months.

The marble terrace, as well as the northern and southern hall are on a north -south axis in the center of the entire system. The halls are connected by the 360 meter long Danbi Bridge. So This bridge connects the northern and southern parts of the plant. The entire temple - axis with terrace and halls is 1200 meters long and is flanked by mature trees. Thus, the Temple of Heaven claims to be the longest plant for heaven worship in the world.