TheTempleofHeavenIntroduction:TheTempleofHeavenwastheplacewheretheEmperorsoftheMingandQingdynastieswouldworshipHeavenandprayforbumpercrops.Builtfirstin1420(the18thyearofEmperorYongle’sreignoftheMingDynasty),andthenexpandedandreconstructedduringtheMingEmperorJiajing’sreignandQingEmperorQianlong’sreign,theTempleofHeavenisagrandandmagnificentmasterpieceofarchitecturewithaformalandsolemnenvironment.SincethefoundingofNewChina,thegovernmenthasallottedagreatsumofmoneytoprotectandrestoretheculturalmonumentsthere.TheTempleofHeavenwithitslonghistory,deepculturalcontentandmagnificentarchitecturalstylemirrorstheancientcultureoftheOrient.IntheTempleofHeavenaresituatedsuchmainbuildingsastheHallofPrayerforGoodharvests,theHallofHeavenlyEmperor,theCircularMound,theImperialVaultofHeaven,theAbstinenceHall,theBeamlessHall,theLongCorridor,theLongevityPavilioninadoubleringshapeaswellastheEchoWall,theThreeEchoStones,andtheSevenMeteoricStones.TheTempleofHeavenisthelargestarchitecturalgroupforworshippingHeavenintheworld.In1961,itwaslistedbytheStateCouncilasoneofthekeymonumentsunderthestateprotection.In1998,itwasrecognizedbytheUNESCOasoneofthehumanheritagesoftheworld.天坛始建于明永乐十八年(1420年),总面积273公顷,经明嘉靖、清乾隆等朝增建、改建,建筑宏伟壮丽,环境庄严肃穆,是明、清两代皇帝“祭天”、“祈谷”的场所,坛域北呈圆形,南为方形,寓意“天圆地方”。四周环筑坛墙两道,把全坛分为内坛、外坛两部分,主要建筑集中于内坛。坛内主要建筑有祈年殿、皇乾殿、圜丘、皇穹宇、斋宫、无梁殿、长廊等,还有回音壁、三音石、七星石等名胜古迹。天坛集明、清建筑技艺之大成,是中国古建珍品,是世界上最大的祭天建筑群。1998年被联合国教科文组织列入世界遗产名录。