The Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty first built the Temple of Heaven between 1406 and 1420. The Jiajing and Qianlong emperors later expanded it, and its present layout was largely formed by 1749. Emperors came here to pray to Heaven for good harvests. UNESCO listed the complex in 1998.
The outer wall is semicircular at its northern end, for Heaven, and rectangular at its southern end, for Earth. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a triple-gabled circular wooden building, 118 feet (36 m) across and 125 feet (38 m) tall. It stands on three marble levels, is built without nails, and has dark blue roof tiles. Its 28 pillars represent the seasons, months and hours.
A lightning fire destroyed the original hall in 1889, and the present one was rebuilt several years later. The complex covers 660 acres (267 hectares).
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