In the heart of contemporary Datong, the old city was almost unrecognizable until a few years ago, with the exception of a handful of surviving monuments buried in tiny multi-storey buildings. But as the capital of China for three distinct dynasties, Datong was once the home of royal palaces, gardens and temples. The spectacular Yungang Caves, a UNESCO heritage site of ancient Buddhist art and sculpture, are reminiscent of its past.
Today's Datong, in Shanxi Province, is a city of 3.3 million people, with a very large urban area of nearly 50 square kilometers. In recent decades, massive and indiscriminate reconstruction, along with a thriving coal mining industry that has earned Datong the "Chinese capital of coal" label, has also turned it into one of the largest cities in the world. country.
Sites to See: Yungang Grottoes, Hengshan Mountain, Hanging Monastery, Wooden Pagoda (Wooden Pagoda), Shanhua Temples,
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