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Photo: Rialfver Original uploader was Rialfver at nl.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
One of the finest Buddhist rock sculptural sites in China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Longmen Grottoes or Longmen Caves are some of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art. Housing tens of thousands of statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples, they are located 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of present-day Luoyang in Henan province, China. The images, many once painted, were carved as outside rock reliefs and inside artificial caves excavated from the limestone cliffs of the Xiangshan (香山) and Longmenshan, running east and west. The Yi River flows northward between them and the area used to be called Yique. The alternative name of "Dragon's Gate Grottoes" derives from the resemblance of the two hills that check the flow of the Yi River to the typical "Chinese gate towers" that once marked the entrance to Luoyang from the south.
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关林庙
Commemorates Guan Yu, great warrior of the Kingdom of Shu and main character from, "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms". The temple is built over the mausoleum which houses the general god's head, and contains several halls dedicated to the deified man. The side halls are all under construction.
定鼎门遗址博物馆
Built during the Sui and Tang dynasties when Luoyang was the capital of the Chinese empire, the Dingding Gate was the city's main gate up until the Song Dynasty when it was gradually abandoned. The ruins are housed inside a building complex that is designed to resemble what the gate may have looked like during its heyday.
洛阳博物馆
The museum houses historical relics from Luoyang’s era as the capital of thirteen dynasties and serves as an important site for understanding the city’s cultural history.Very well done museum featuring an extensive collection of ancient Zhou Dynasty bronzes as well as Han and Tang Dynasty porcelains, nearly all of which were made and found in the area, giving a sense of the former grandeur of the ancient capital. The museum is sparkling and features broad, uncrowded exhibit rooms and efficient air conditioning, making it a good way to beat the summer heat after the Longmen Caves. Even those with only a passing interest in porcelain will be satisfied.
Luoyang Tang Sancai Art Immersion Workshop
Go beyond just viewing and try your hand at creating a piece of Tang Sancai (tri-colored glazed pottery). This in-depth workshop covers the history, demonstrates the glazing process, and allows you to paint a pre-fired piece to take home.
隋唐大运河文化博物馆
When most people think of the Grand Canal of China, they usually think of the Beijing-Hangzhou canal. In fact, during the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Grand Canal ran all the way to Luoyang. It was only during the Yuan Dynasty, after the capital was moved to Beijing, that Luoyang was cut from the route. This museum displays artifacts from the time when Luoyang was the northern terminus of the canal. The main highlight is two sunken ships that were discovered in 2013. Visitors are required to make a booking on the museum’s WeChat account before visiting the museum, though this requirement is waived if you happen to be over 60 years old. You must also show your ID card or passport before being allowed to enter and the information on your ID card or passport must be consistent with the information you provided when making the booking.
王城公园
One site of the Luoyang Peony Festival in April, something not to be missed.