Luoyang Old Town
Attractions Overview: The best place to find remaining ancient architecture
Attraction Type: Ancient Town, Architecture
Chinese Name:洛阳老城区
English Name: Luoyang Old Town
Best Time to Visit: Spring and Autumn
Recommended Visiting Time: About 3 hours
Open Hours: Lijing Gate: 07:00-19:00
Admission Fee: CNY 30 for Lijing Gate; tickets for National Peony Park, China’s National Flower Park and International Peony Garden are changeable in different time.
Address in English: Northeast of Luoyang City, in Henan Province of central China.
Address in Chinese: 河南省洛阳市城市区中东部和北部
Why is Luoyang Old Town is So Special?
Luoyang was once the prosperous capital of 13 dynasties and the Old Town still has some interesting backstreets to explore. The Old Town area features a museum for folk art that contains local art such as paper cuttings art, local clothing, and other local artwork. Luoyang Old Town is the best place to find remaining ancient architecture. An example is a very big city gate that is said to date back to 600 AD. You could also visit the Temple of Guan Yu, Old City Hall, Confucius Temple, the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, and other ancient Chinese architectures.
Where is Luoyang Old Town?
Luoyang Old Town is located in the northeast of Luoyang, in Henan Province. It sits against Mengshan Mountain and faces Longmen Grotto (Dragon Gate Grotto) with Luo River running through. Luoyang Old Town is about 128 km from Zhengzhou City (郑州市), the capital of Henan province (河南省).
How to Get There?
Travel with China Dragon Tours (top recommended)
If you want to get rid of hustle of transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a private tour package which covers visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Luoyang Old Town with speed and convenience, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on travel.
Independent Travel
For independent travelers you can
-Take the bus No.41 to Lijing Gate at the square in front of Luoyang Railway Station.
-Take the bus No.101, 9, 8, 41, 48, 53, 65 to Lijing Gate at the downtown of Luoyang.
-Take the bus No.51 at the square in front of Luoyang Railway Station to the National Peony Park.
-Take the bus No.83 at the square in front of Luoyang Railway Station to the International Peony Garden.
Main Attractions in Luoyang Old Town
Lijing Gate
Lijing Gate is the entrance to Luoyang Old Town District. It is the most striking landmark of Luoyang Old Town District. Built in Sui Dynasty (581-618) when Luoyang is the capital, Lijing Gate is the most typical and best of its kind in China. Lijing Gate, literally meaning the gate is such a beautiful scenery. It was built in Sui Dynasty (581-618) with a long history of 1,400 year. At that time, Luoyang was the capital of the country. Lijing Gate is among eight main sights in Luoyang and opens a window for visitors to learn the history and culture of Luoyang.
Old Streets
Entering into Luoyang Old Town District, you will be dazzled by the bustling shopping streets and residential alleys, which are decorated with red lanterns. Countless stalls and restaurants line on both sides. In ancient time, merchants streamed in and out continuously and boosted the economy. Even today, Luoyang Old Town District is still flourishing. There are a lot of stalls selling local food, and the small restaurants put tables on the streets for customers who want to eat outside and enjoy the street view. You can also see many locals chatting on the street or playing table games like Mahjong. Take a stroll along the old street, you can also find some interesting souvenirs with reasonable price.
Peony Scenery
Peony is China’s national flower. As a saying goes that ”the peonies of Luoyang is the most beautiful under heaven”, a visit to Luoyang will not be completed without going to a peony garden. There are mainly three peony gardens in Luoyang Old Town District, namely National Peony Park, China National Flower Garden and International Peony Garden.
Best Time to Go Luoyang Old Town
Any time of year is good for a visit. For a better trip experience, we advise you opt for spring or autumn, as it is not too hot or cold during these periods.
During the weekends or holidays, it will be very crowded. If you prefer to visit less crowded areas, we will take you to some quiet streets with fewer crowds where you can experience the local people’s lifestyle.
Flowering of peony is starting from mid-April to May, so if you want to enjoy the peony, April and May would be the best time.
Travelling Tips:
1. Flowering season of peonies in Luoyang is between April and May.
2. The Peony culture festival is usually held every year between April 1 and May 10.
