The Temple of Heaven is the Ming-dynasty altar complex where emperors prayed for good harvests, set in a 273-hectare park in south-central Beijing. As of November 2026 the off-peak through ticket costs CNY 28 (about US$4), the park opens around 6 am, and foreign visitors book 1 to 7 days ahead with their passport.
- Tickets: through ticket CNY 28 (about US$4), entrance only CNY 10 (about US$1.50), off-peak 1 November–31 March (as of November 2026)
- Reservation: real-name, 1–7 days ahead on the “天坛” WeChat account, with your passport
- Park hours: opens around 6:00; the halls open 8:00–17:00 in the off-peak season, last entry 16:30, Tuesday–Sunday
- Mondays: the park is open; the main halls may be closed outside summer and public holidays
- Best time: early morning, for park life and soft light
- Getting there: Metro Line 5, Tiantandongmen station (East Gate), or Line 8, Tianqiao station (near the West Gate)
Tai chi under the cypresses, then the halls
Come in the first hours after the gates open and the park belongs to Beijing’s retirees. You’ll often see groups practicing tai chi and sword forms, friends kicking a shuttlecock back and forth, small choirs singing and couples dancing under the old cypresses. You are welcome to watch, or to join in for a few moves, and your guide can explain what each group is doing.
At 8:00 the halls open, and you walk on to the buildings. The temple was built in 1420 as the altar where the emperor came to pray for good harvests. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests stands at the north end and the Circular Mound Altar at the south, joined by a raised walkway on a 1,200 m axis lined with old cypresses.
What you’ll see, north to south
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
This is the round hall on every postcard of Beijing. It stands on a white marble terrace 6 m high and rises 38.2 m, 24.2 m across. Inside, 28 great columns hold up the roof. Together they stand for the four seasons, the twelve months, the twelve double-hours of the day and the 24 solar terms of the old farming calendar, so the building itself keeps time. Look up from the doorway and your guide can point them out.
Danbi Bridge
From the hall, the Danbi Bridge carries you south. It is a broad raised walkway rather than a bridge over water, and from the top you look down on the cypress groves on either side.
Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Echo Wall
The smaller round Imperial Vault of Heaven sits inside a circular wall that carries sound. Stand at one point along the curve and whisper, and a friend some way around the wall can hear you. That is why it is called the Echo Wall (回音壁).
Circular Mound Altar
The Circular Mound Altar at the southern end has no hall on top; it is open to the sky.
On the way out
Leaving by the west, you pass the Hall of Abstinence (斋宫). The Divine Music Administration (神乐署) has its own separate ticket.
Tickets (as of November 2026)
| Ticket | Off-peak (Nov–Mar) | Peak (Apr–Oct) |
|---|---|---|
| Through ticket: park plus the three main sites | CNY 28 (about US$4) | CNY 34 (about US$5) |
| Park entrance only | CNY 10 (about US$1.50) | CNY 15 (about US$2) |
| Concession through ticket | CNY 14 | CNY 17 |
| Concession entrance | CNY 5 | CNY 7.5 |
The through ticket covers the park entrance plus the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound Altar. The entrance-only ticket does not include those three, so for a first visit the through ticket is the one to buy.
Concession tickets exist, but the official English listing does not spell out clearly which foreign visitors qualify, including those over 60. Visitors 60 and over often get free or reduced entry to Beijing’s city parks with their passport, but we don’t promise it: bring your passport and ask at the gate whether any concession applies.
How to book
The Beijing government’s ticketing guide gives these steps for visitors with a foreign passport:
- Book on the Temple of Heaven’s WeChat official account, “天坛”, 1 to 7 days ahead. Each ticket is in the visitor’s own name, using their passport number, and has a timed entry.
- At the gate, show the e-ticket QR code together with the passport you booked with.
- If the park is below capacity on the day, same-day tickets can be bought by scanning the QR code at the entrance, and the service counters can place an order for you.
Buying or selling tickets on behalf of others for profit is not allowed. On our private tours we book the through tickets listed as included, in each traveler’s name, using your passport details.
Tell us your dates, group size and what you would like to see. We reply with a day-by-day plan and a written quote.
When to go, Mondays and the East Gate
When to go
Arrive soon after the park opens, around 6 am, for the tai chi and singing, and walk toward the Hall of Prayer as the halls open at 8:00. July is the hottest and wettest month, autumn brings mostly dry, mild days, and winter mornings are cold and dry, with low sun on the marble. In 2026 the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has also been lit up after dark on Friday and Saturday evenings and on major holidays, switching on with the city’s streetlights; you see it from the park grounds, since the halls themselves close in the afternoon. One traveler reported it lit on 3 November 2026, so we check before planning an evening visit.
As of November 2026 the halls take visitors from 8:00, Tuesday to Sunday. In the off-peak season Beijing’s tourism portal gives their hours as 8:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30, so plan to reach them by mid-afternoon.
Mondays
The park itself does not close on Mondays. Like other Beijing city parks, though, the Temple of Heaven may close its main halls on Mondays outside summer and public holidays. In summer 2026 they opened on Mondays until 31 August. A Monday visit still gives you the park life, the cypress avenues and the outside views of the halls, and we check the current notice before your day.
Route and getting there
The easiest route is to enter at the East Gate, walk to the Hall of Prayer, follow the Danbi Bridge south to the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound, and leave by the west. By metro, take Line 5 to Tiantandongmen station for the East Gate, or Line 8 to Tianqiao station, near the West Gate. As of October 2026 the East Gate car park is temporarily closed, so on a private tour we plan the drop-off and pick-up points ahead.
The Temple of Heaven on our tours
The Temple of Heaven opens our Beijing classic day tour, which continues to the Summer Palace after lunch; the Summer Palace is about 40 minutes to an hour’s drive from central Beijing in normal traffic. It is also a morning in our 3-day private Beijing tour, and a natural pairing with a day at the Forbidden City. You travel in a private car or van with a driver, just your group, with an English-speaking guide. There are no shopping stops, and you can sit on a bench under the cypresses for as long as you like.
Traveling with grandparents or young children? Our guide to Beijing for seniors and families has pacing ideas, and our list of things to do in Beijing covers the rest of the city.
Tell us your dates, group size and what you would like to see. We reply with a day-by-day plan and a written quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Temple of Heaven ticket?
As of November 2026, in the off-peak season (1 November to 31 March), the through ticket costs CNY 28 (about US$4) and the entrance-only ticket CNY 10. From April to October they cost CNY 34 and CNY 15. The through ticket adds the Hall of Prayer, the Echo Wall and the Circular Mound.
How do foreigners book Temple of Heaven tickets?
Foreign visitors book on the Temple of Heaven's WeChat official account, 天坛, 1 to 7 days ahead, using their passport. At the gate you show the e-ticket QR code with the same passport. If the park is below capacity, same-day tickets can be bought at the entrance.
Is the Temple of Heaven open on Mondays?
Yes, the park is open on Mondays. Outside summer and public holidays, the main halls may be closed on Mondays, as at other Beijing city parks. In summer 2026 they opened on Mondays until 31 August. You can still enjoy the park life and the cypress avenues.
What time does the Temple of Heaven open?
The park opens around 6 am, and the early hours are the best time to see locals practicing tai chi, singing and dancing. As of November 2026 the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the other main sites open at 8:00, Tuesday to Sunday, with last entry at 16:30 in the off-peak season.
Do seniors get a discount at the Temple of Heaven?
Concession tickets exist, but the official English listing does not clearly say which foreign visitors qualify, including those over 60. Visitors 60 and over often get free or reduced entry to Beijing's city parks with their passport, but we don't promise it. Bring your passport and ask at the gate whether any concession applies.
What is the Echo Wall?
The Echo Wall is the circular wall around the Imperial Vault of Heaven. It carries sound, so a whisper along the wall can travel around it to a friend standing further along the curve. It is included in the through ticket.
How do I get to the Temple of Heaven by metro?
Take Metro Line 5 to Tiantandongmen station for the East Gate, the usual starting point, or Line 8 to Tianqiao station, near the West Gate. A good route runs from the East Gate to the Hall of Prayer, south along the Danbi Bridge, and out by the west.
Facts checked: 5 November 2026. Ticket prices, opening hours and entry rules can change; we re-check before every booking.