Nothing quite prepares you for your first visit to the Temple of Heaven Park. And nothing is more certain than that it will be an experience you'll never forget － and will want to repeat time and time again.

Lying south of Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City, the park's stunning circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests has become as much a symbol of the city as those celebrated landmarks. For many, it is the most stunning single piece of architecture in Beijing － and that is really saying something.

This perfect example of Ming architecture is set in a beautiful 267-hectare park and is studded by four gates at the major points of the compass. Again the tie-in with imperial life is inescapable: this is where emperors came to offer sacrifices and pray for good harvests in winter.

The crowning glory of the park, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is mounted on a striking three-tiered marble terrace and dates back to 1420. The four central pillars here denote the seasons while the 12 in the next ring symbolise the months of the year. Look out for the dragon carved into the ceiling, again a symbol of the emperor.

Architects gasp in awe on seeing a building which is ingenuously supported by wooden pillars －not a single nail is to be found in the place. For a building of this scale － it stands 38 meters in height and is 30 meters in diameter － that is quite an accomplishment.

Viewed from above, the temples here (look out too for the Imperial Vault of Heaven) are round while their bases are square. The pattern is no coincidence, coming from the ancient Chinese belief that heaven is round and the earth is square.

And if you're interested in numbers, you'll be in seventh heaven. Everything here revolves around the imperially supreme number 9. Take the Round Altar (Yuan Qiu) which is made up of white marble in three tiers. The top tier, believed to symbolise heaven, has nine rings of stones, each in turn made up of multiples of nine.

If you're ever lucky enough to enjoy this stunning spectacle on a quiet day, check out the Echo Wall north of the altar. It is said that a whisper at one end can be clearly heard at the other thanks to the superb acoustics of the area.

While that spectacular, symbolic building naturally forms the backdrop to many a souvenir photo, don't overlook the rest of the park. Get there early (really early!) and you'll be rewarded with the delightful scene of old Beijing waking up. For this is where you'll find the city's early birds (of whom there are many!) doing everything from practising taiji and morning stretches to dancing and blasting out excerpts of Peking Opera.

Wander this green paradise around dawn and you'll find yourself at the heart of a place where old and new Beijing meet head on. This reverence and respect for the past truly gladdens the heart as your love affair with Beijing continues to unfold.

Beijing - The Magnificent City 2004-2005.

Hardback, 271 glorious pictures on 157 full-colour glossy pages, 235x315mm.

RMB260 / US$34.95