Longmen Grottoes

UNESCO World Heritage Site (2000); National 5A Tourist Attraction · Luoyang, Henan

One of the three great Buddhist cave sites of China: more than 2,300 caves and niches holding some 100,000 statues and 2,800 inscriptions, carved into limestone cliffs along both banks of the Yi River south of Luoyang from 493 through the Tang dynasty. Its masterpiece is the open-air Fengxian Temple group, where a serene 17-metre Vairocana Buddha, carved in the 670s under Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian, looks out over the river flanked by disciples, bodhisattvas and guardian kings. The Binyang caves show the elongated Northern Wei style, and the Guyang Cave holds the celebrated Longmen Twenty calligraphy inscriptions. Many heads and reliefs were cut away and sold abroad in the early 20th century. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000, it is lit for night visits in season.

Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area, Luolong District, Luoyang, Henan, China

Daily. Day visits from morning to early evening; night tour (included) with ticket sales roughly 17:30-19:30, entry 18:00-20:00 and closing at 21:00 in season.

Longmen Grottoes on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos