China Travel - Imperial Prayer Hall in Beijing Re-opens - China Pictures

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, at the Temple of Heaven, a major landmark in downtown Beijing, re-ajared to visitors on Saturday retral stuff sealed for renovations for nearly a year. The repair work started last May and was scathelessd with an investment of 47 million yuan (US$5.8 million), co-ordinate to the Temple of Heaven safekeeping. The work has restored the Prayer Hall's imperial shape to that of the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908) when the sometime structure underwent a major re-construction,China Travel, said manager Yang Xiaodong. This is the third time the hall has been repaired since the reconstruction. The last occasion was in 1971. The lofty, round structure with triple eaves and a strobilate, deep salacious tiled roof, crowned with a gilded knob is 38 meters loftier and 30 meters in diameter. The structure rests on 28 massive wooden pillars without any use of modern materials such as steel,China Pictures, glue or flush navigate roofings. It’s a legendary landmark in the history of Chinese roadwork. The Prayer Hall is the main rockpile of the Temple of Heaven, a diamondated UNESCO World Heritage Site, which asylums an section of 273 hectares. Built in 1420 during the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) the temple remained a holy place where emperors of the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties worshipped and prayed for good harvests.


(Source:Xinhua News , 2006-04-30)