Temple of Moon (Yuetan park) [Beijing]

Temple of Moon (Yuetan)

Built in 1530, the roughly 8-hectare Temple of Moon, or Yuetan Park, to the west of the imperial city was the site of imperial sacrifices to the moon.

In the past decades, bushes and fruit trees have been planted here. In 1969, a 180-meter-tall television-broadcasting tower was erected in the park, taking up about one-eighth of its total space, according to Wang Jun, an official with the Xicheng District Gardening Bureau.

During the restoration project, many damaged parts were rebuilt, including the walls of the altar, the square white marble sacrificial platform, the sacrificial routes through the park and many ancient dwellings. The Beijing municipal government and the Xicheng District government jointly earmarked 190 million yuan ($23 million) for the renovation project, which also called for relocating the broadcasting tower and upgrading the park's environment. Four institutes and 178 households near the altar are also being relocated to make way for the altar wall and expanded greenery.

Opening hours: 6am-9pm

Location: 6 Yuetan Beijie, Xicheng District. Buses to get there: 15, 19, 823.
Tel: 6802-0940.