Visit Here: the Temple of Agriculture

From far-flung places in our Take the Subway series, we move closer to the city center for a look at a few spots that we think, while they may not be on any Beijing top sights lists, are definitely worth going out of your way to visit.

Heading north from Yongdingmen Park and walking on the Central Axis towards Qianmen, we find ourselves at the…

Beijing Temple of Agriculture & Ancient Architecture Museum (先农坛和北京古代建筑博物馆 Xiānnóngtán hé Běijīng Gǔdài Jiànzhù Bówùguǎn)

Constructed in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty, the Temple of Agriculture was a place for, you guessed it, the God of Agriculture. It was used throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties for this purpose, and today it also houses the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum.

Why Visit?

Although not as popular as the Temple of Heaven (which pretty much lies just east across the street from this temple), it’s a glimpse into one of the lesser known places of ritual and worship for the Chinese imperial dynasties.

While a big draw is also the Architecture Museum, which features remnants of the now long gone Longfu Temple, there are also some interesting models and dioramas, including one showing the emperor – ceremoniously at least – sowing the seeds of harvest.

The Details

The Temple of Agriculture and Ancient Architecture Museum has different opening hours throughout the year.

From Jan 1 to Jul 16, the museum and temple are open Tuesday through Sunday, 9am-5pm (closed Mondays); from Jul 17 to Aug 31, the complex is open on Mondays and Wednesday through Sunday, from 9am-5pm, and Friday through Saturday from 9am-7pm (closed Tuesdays); from Sep 1 to Dec 31, the complex goes back to the first mentioned opening hours. Tickets are RMB 15 per person.

Temple of Agriculture 先农坛
21 Dongjing Lu, Xicheng District
西城区东经路21号
Hours: See Above
Contact: 010 8316 3391

READ: Visit Here: Yongdingmen Park

Images: Uni You, Vincent R. Vinci, Dianping