Walking eastward from the front (west) gate, within the inner wall there is a Zhaigong (fasting-palace) in the south for the emperor to fast and bathe before worshipping. Further east is a north-south vertical axis formed by the main buildings. The five-meter-high Circular Mound Altar is in the south with a three-layered stone terrace. Within the Beiyuan courtyard of the Circular Mound Altar is a round hall or the imperial vault where the spirit tablet of the heavenly god is placed. Going further north, one can reach the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests viaDanbiBridge.

TheTempleofHeavenuses ecological artistic technique to give prominence to the theme of "heaven". For example, the density of structures is very small, covered by large tracts of pine and cypress trees, creating a strong atmosphere of solemnity and nobility. The inner walls are not in the middle of the area enclosed by the outer walls, but rather they shift toward the east, the vertical axis of the cluster of buildings also shifts eastward for about 200 meters, thus prolonging the distance from the front gate. This helps people feel they are removed farther from man's world and nearer and nearer to the gods.

The Circular Mound Altar is crystal white, setting off the holy, pure, empty and bright "heaven". Its two-layered enclosed walls are only a little more than one meter high before the tall, large round terrace, so as not to block the visual line. During the Ming and Qing dynasties in early winter the emperor would come to this mound to pay homage to heaven and pray for peace and a good harvest. The 400-meter long and 30-meter wideDanbiBridge, and the courtyard of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, also stand above the surrounding ground, for the same effect. The round Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is 24 meters in diameter, its three-layered eaved pinnacle covered with green glazed tiles. Under this is a six-meter three-layered, white stone round terrace with a total height of 38 meters. The green roof seemed to merge with the blue sky. All these are designed to create a close relationship between man and heaven.

TheTempleofHeavenwidely uses symbolic and metaphor techniques to play up the theme. For example, in many cases, a round plane is used. The Circular Mound Altar uses the number 9 or the multiplication of 9 to symbolize "heaven". The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests uses numbers related to the solar terms of agriculture.