Temple of Heaven: Beijing

This was one of my favourite places in Beijing, after the crowds at The Forbidden City this lovely temple complex and surrounding gardens are quite delighful. Like all public parks in China they are well used by the local population to socialise and exercise and provide a welcome 'green' relief from the high rise concrete apartment blocks and crowded conditions that many resident live in.

The Temple of Heaven complex was constructed between 1406 and 1420 and in the early part of the 20th century was occupied by Anglo/French forces during the Boxer rebellion, many of the artefacts were stolen and the buildings stripped by the occupying forces.
Today the restored complex is a wonderful example of traditional ornate Chinese archtecture and the complex has been granted Unesco World Heritage status.