Luoyang

Luoyang, in central China's Henan Province, served as capital for 13 dynasties over a history spanning more than 4,000 years, making it the earliest of China's Four Great Ancient Capitals. The Han-Wei ancient city held the record for longest service as a capital, with palace walls, halls, and imperial gardens still traceable. Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei moved 150,000 people here in 493 AD and began carving the Longmen Grottoes, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearby Erlitou, discovered in 1959, is identified as a Xia Dynasty capital with China's earliest known palace complex.