-By Shivam Pathak

The Temple of Heaven is one of the renowned tourists’ destinations in China. It is an imperial complex which entails several religious structures. It is popular across the world for its aesthetic and majestic setting. The temple had listed many great personalities including the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. In yore times this temple
complex was a central part of annual ceremonies associated with the prayer to Heaven for good harvest. Today it is
located in the southeastern part of central Beijing, China.

The temple complex was erected under the reign of the Yongle Emperor of Ming Dynasty, who had also constructed the biggest palace of China, named as
Forbidden City, ever known to the world.

The construction of the palace took in total fourteen years, and was completed in the year of 1420. With the passage of time the temple complex was expanded in the 16th century under the reign of the emperor Jiajing (12th emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Apart from this temple there are some other prominent temples, like- the Temple of the Sun in the east, the Temple of Earth in the north, and the Temple of Moon in the west, which by are commissioned by the emperor Jiajing. The Temple of Heaven had also undergone several renovations under the reign of Qianlong Emperor, in the 18th century. The architecture of this temple outlines philosophical elements in its appearance.

In the year of 1998, the Temple of Heaven was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. Up to this day many people
around the globe come to visit this place in order to behold the beauty of this masterpiece.