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 Altar. Purification was achieved by abstaining from meat, alcohol and sex. You'll need your passport to explore the palace, which houses a history exhibition (with limited English).
Fasting Palace
Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.81 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…
0.35 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…
10.8 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…
1.74 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…
3.49 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…
2.14 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…
2.06 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 …
8.47 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
0.11 MILES
This ornamental gateway will take you towards the main sights if you enter the park at the main west gate.
2. Divine Music Administration
0.14 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…
0.22 MILES
One of the most pleasant spots in the Temple of Heaven Park, especially when the roses are in bloom.
0.35 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…
0.35 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 …
0.35 MILES
Inside the Echo Wall, this ornate building was merely a storeroom, used to keep the spirit tablets of the gods and other materials used for the ceremonies…
0.36 MILES
This grand walkway leads north from the Imperial Vault of Heaven to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.
8. Gate of Prayer for Good Harvests
0.39 MILES
A gateway on the Red Stairway Bridge that opens on to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.