Abstract BaTiO 3 ceramics were prepared by conventional sintering technique with a special emphasis on the effects of sintering temperature (1100–1230 °C) on the crystalline structure and piezoelectric properties. XRD patterns indicated that the crystallographic structure changed from tetragonal phase to orthorhombic one with raising sintering temperature from 1160 °C to 1180 °C. Domains were shaped in a stripe and a herringbone in orthorhombic samples for BaTiO 3 ceramics. The domain width and domain density increased with raising sintering temperature. The BaTiO 3 ceramic sintered at 1190 °C showed the excellent electrical properties, d 33 = 355 pC/N, k p = 40%, P r = 10.2 μC/cm 2 , respectively, which are originated to the contributions of both the crystallographic structure transition and nano-domain.