The former front gate of Beijing's Outer City Wall, the original Yongding Gate was demolished in the 1950s. Rebuilt in 2005, it stands, rather forlornly, in traffic to the southeast of the Temple of Heaven complex.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.26 MILES
Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
0.91 MILES
An oasis of methodical Confucian design, the 267-hectare Temple of Heaven Park is unique. It originally served as a vast stage for solemn rites performed…
10.95 MILES
A marvel of Chinese garden design and one of Beijing's must-see attractions, the Summer Palace was the royal retreat for emperors fleeing the suffocating…
2.17 MILES
Flanked by triumphalist Soviet-style buildings, Tian'anmen Sq is an immense void of paved stone (440,000 sq metres, to be precise) at the symbolic centre…
3.9 MILES
Beihai Park, inside the old Imperial City, looks much as it would have done in the 18th century when it served as Emperor Qianlong's private gardens. The…
2.77 MILES
This immense fortress, part of the Ming City Wall Ruins Park, guarded the southeast corner of Beijing's city walls. Originally built in 1439 but repaired…
2.5 MILES
Instantly recognisable by its giant framed portrait of Mao, and guarded by two pairs of Ming dynasty stone lions, the double-eaved Gate of Heavenly Peace …
9.09 MILES
Contemporary art meets communist history at this thrilling enclave of international galleries installed within China's model factory complex of the 1950s…
Nearby Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South attractions
1. Divine Music Administration
0.51 MILES
Music, song and dance were integral components of the arcane rituals performed by the Emperor at the Temple of Heaven, and here is where the ranks of…
2. Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum
0.55 MILES
On the site of the old Temple of Agriculture (先农坛, Xiānnóng Tán), you'll find this museum exploring traditional Chinese building techniques. Brush up on…
0.63 MILES
This palace complex close to the West Heavenly Gate was used by the emperor for three days prior to conducting the winter solstice ceremony at the Round…
0.68 MILES
This ornamental gateway will take you towards the main sights if you enter the park at the main west gate.
5. Beijing Natural History Museum
0.75 MILES
New York and London needn't fret: Beijing's Natural History Museum isn't going to rival their august institutions any time soon. Not with exhibits that…
6. Temple of Heaven South Gate
0.75 MILES
Also known as the Zhaoheng Gate (昭亨门; Zhāohēng Mén) the emperor and entourage would enter the temple complex through here. It's now one of the four main…
0.79 MILES
The present build dating to around 1540, this is the business end of the Temple of Heaven. Here on this open-air, raised platform (a circle within a…
0.82 MILES
Thanks to its unique acoustic properties, a quiet spoken word or two against this circular wall can be heard at the opposite point, some 65m away …