Tainan families have been coming here for generations on the 1st and 15th of every lunar month to pray to the supreme Taoist entity, the Jade Emperor. The temple has no statue of the god as the supreme deity is supposed to be shapeless and formless like the sky. There's a famous Yī (One) inscription over the altar. This single-stroke character embodies both the beginning and the end, signifying that all the world's truths are here and nothing goes unseen by heaven.
Altar of Heaven
Tainan
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.11 MILES
A true hidden gem, this private museum has a small but exceptional collection of sculpture and antiques by mid-19th- to 20th-century Japanese artists who…
0.35 MILES
This lively temple once served as the palace of Ning Jin, the last king of the Ming dynasty. If you wish to confirm visually that a king's status is lower…
-
16.3 MILES
Tianliao Stone Temple is a fantastical, Gaudi-esque interpretation of a Taoist temple by Southeast Asian migrant workers. The 500 men had been hired to…
-
23.43 MILES
This sprawling flea market in Neiwei may possibly offer one of the most authentic and fabulous experiences of Taiwan. You'll find everything under the sun…
26.57 MILES
This narrow island that acts as a buffer to the harbour and extends down the city coastline makes for a lovely day trip from the mainland. The main…
26.23 MILES
An attractive sprawl of old warehouses by the port is separated by tree-lined boulevards, and hosts shops, galleries and cafes. It's a wonderful place to…
26.47 MILES
One of Kaohsiung's few temples that made the national protected relics list is also its oldest Mazu temple. Cijin Tianhou Temple was constructed in 1673…
-
0.28 MILES
When you enter the temple, look up for the two large abacuses used to calculate whether you have done more good than bad in life; check out the most…
Nearby Tainan attractions
1. National Museum of Taiwan Literature
0.13 MILES
This serious and excellent museum details the development of Taiwanese literature from the time of the pre-Han indigenous peoples to the modern era…
0.14 MILES
A quiet temple hidden in an alleyway off Zhongshan Rd that worships Princess Seven Stars or Chiniangma (七娘媽), the protector of children, comes alive on…
0.17 MILES
The neoclassical-style Land Bank dates from 1928. Japanese architects were heavily influenced by western ideas at the time and neoclassical revival was a…
0.19 MILES
Both buildings of the Tainan Art Museum are now open – this one (Building 1), the former Tainan City Police Station raised in the Japanese era; and the…
0.19 MILES
Created by Japanese architect and Pritzker Prize–winner Ban Shigeru, Building 2 of the Tainan Art Museum has a dozen galleries spread over five floors…
0.2 MILES
This art deco department store from the 1930s has been so beautifully restored that it's worth going in just to ascend the sweeping staircase, peer…
0.22 MILES
Built in 1666 by the son of Ming loyalist Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga),Taiwan's first Confucian temple and official school is quiet, dignified and coloured…
8. Old Japanese Martial Arts Academy
0.23 MILES
This sleek and poised Japanese building next to the Confucius Temple was a butokuden, a place where the Japanese taught and promoted martial arts such as…