TheTempleofHeaven,literallytheAltarofHeaven(TraditionalChinese:天坛;SimplifiedChinese:天坛;pinyin:TiānTán)isacomplexofTaoistbuildingssituatedinsoutheasternurbanBeijing,inXuanwuDistrict.Constructionofthecomplexbeganin1420,andwasthereaftervisitedbyallsubsequentEmperorsoftheMingandQingdynasties.ItisregardedasaTaoisttemple,althoughtheworshipofHeaven,especiallybythereigningmonarchoftheday,pre-datesTaoism.

　　TheTemplegroundscovers2.73km²ofparkland,andcomprisesthreemaingroupsofconstructions,allbuiltaccordingtostrictphilosophicalrequirements:

　　TheEarthlyMount(圜丘坛)isthealtarproper.Itisanemptyplatformonthreelevelsofmarblestones,wheretheEmperorprayedforfavourableweather;

　　TheHouseofHeavenlyLord(皇穹宇),asingle-gabledcircularbuilding,builtonasinglelevelofmarblestonebase,wherethealtarswerehousedwhennotinuse;

　　TheHallofAnnualPrayer(祈年殿),amagnificenttriple-gabledcircularbuilding,builtonthreelevelsofmarblestonebase,wheretheEmperorprayedforgoodharvests.

　　InancientChina,theEmperorofChinawasregardedasthe"SonofHeaven",whoadministeredearthlymattersonbehalfof,andrepresenting,heavenlyauthority.Tobeseentobeshowingrespecttothesourceofhisauthority,intheformofsacrificestoheaven,wasextremelyimportant.Thetemplewasbuiltfortheseceremonies,mostlycomprisedofprayersforgoodharvests.

　　EachwintersolsticetheEmperorandallhisretinuewouldmovethroughthecitytoencampwithinthecomplex,wearingspecialrobesandabstainingfromeatingmeat;theretheEmperorwouldpersonallypraytoHeavenforgoodharvests.Theceremonyhadtobeperfectlycompleted;itwaswidelyheldthatthesmallestofmistakeswouldconstituteabadomenforthewholenationinthecomingyear.

　　InsidetheHallofAnnualPrayer.TheTempleofHeavenisthegrandestofthefourgreattempleslocatedinBeijing.TheotherprominenttemplesincludetheTempleofSunintheeast(日坛),theTempleofEarthinthenorth(地坛),andtheTempleofMooninthewest(月坛).

　　AccordingtoXinhua,inearly2005,theTempleofHeavenunderwenta47millionyuan(5.9millionUSD)face-liftinpreparationforthe2008BeijingSummerOlympicsandtherestorationwascompletedonMay1st,2006.

　　TheTempleofHeavenwasregisteredontheUNESCOWorldHeritageListin1998.