Heijo Palace

Heijo Palace was the seat of government when Nara served as Japan's capital in the eighth century, and its site on the western edge of the modern city is part of the ancient monuments World Heritage listing. Long buried and farmed over, the vast grounds have been partly excavated and reconstructed, including a grand ceremonial hall and an imposing vermilion gate that stand isolated across broad open fields. A museum interprets the finds, and the empty expanse conveys the scale of the imperial city. A railway line famously crosses the precinct.