Circular Mound Altar:
The Circular Mound Altar embodies the roundness of heaven in. There are three layers of altar with one is bigger than the other from bottom to top. The total height is 5.17m while the biggest altar measures 54.92m in diameter and the smallest 23.65m in diameter. Each layer is nine steps higher than the one on its top. At the center of the top altar is a cobblestone plate encircled by nine laps of fan shaped marble slabs. The number of marble stones in each circle is nine or multiples of nine, also the railing boards and balustrades for ancient Chinese consider nine as a heaven number.
The Echo Wall:
The Imperial Vault of Heaven, made of brick and timber, is 19 meters high and 15.6 meters in diameter. It is surrounded by a circular wall of polished brick with an opening to the south. This is known as the Echo Wall and is 3.72 meters high, 61.5 meters in diameter and 193 meters in circumference. If a person whispers close to the wall at any point, his voice can be heard distinctly at any other point along the wall. This is possible because the wall is round and hermetically constructed with smooth, solid bricks.
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