Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China - stock photo

The Temple of Heaven, founded in the first half of the 15th century, is considered the most holy of Beijing's imperial temples. It has been described as "a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design". The design of the Temple of Heaven complex, true to its sacred purpose, reflects the mystical cosmological laws believed to be central to the workings of the universe. Both the overall arrangement and the buildings themselves reflect the relationship between sky and earth, the core of understanding of the Universe at that time.