China Silk Road Travel Part 2: Daming Palace National Heritage Park

It was drizzling in Xian and this dampened our mood a little as it was just the first day of our China Silk Road Tour. Fortunately it was just a light drizzle and we heard the weather was going to be fine in Urumqi the next day. 

The first place on our itinerary was Daming Palace National Heritage Park. This park used to be the site of Daming Palace which was built in 634 AD and which 17 emperors of the Tang Dynasty used to live in. The palace is 4.5 times bigger than the Forbidden City in Beijing but was reduced to ruins in 904 AD having survived 270 years.

The park is huge so we needed transport like this train and the buggies to ferry us around.

The Tang Dynasty prospered during the ancient time as a result of the Silk Road Trade and Chang'an which is now called Xian is the eastern starting point of the Silk Road during the heyday.

The replica of Daming Palace is actually just a miniature. 

Raised platforms are built for visitors to view the model.

The archeological findings in the site are exhibited in a museum within the park.

There is nothing spectacular about this museum. Relics dug out at the site like potteries, ornaments, door knobs, sculptures and reconstructed miniature structures of the ancient kingdom are exhibited here.

We were treated to a IMAX 3-D film, a 30 minute love tale set in the Tang Dynasty in one of the theatres. (Entrance fee: 30CNY)  This film shown here is also the first IMAX 3-D film in China made in cooperation with US Specialists.

The 3-D theatre. (Photography not allowed when show in on)

China Silk Road Tour Related Posts: 
Part 1: Overview
Part 3: Hancheng Lake
Part 4: I Stayed In Howard Johnson Ginwa Plaza, Xian
Part 5: Xinjiang Where The People Speaks Mandarin With A Funny Accent
Part 6: Heavenly Lake
Part 7: Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar
Part 8: Hooray! 2 Nights In Cinda Hoi Tak Hotel, Urumqi
Part 9: Glimpses Of Turpan (Xinjiang)
Part 10: Karez Well
Part 11: The Ruins Of Jiohe
Part 12: The Grape Valley Of Turpan
Part 13: Nothing Comes Free!
Part 14: Emin Minaret
Part 15: Flaming Mountain
Part 16: Tuyugou Canyon
Part 17: Mazar Village Of Tuyugou Valley
Part 18: Kumtag Desert
Part 19: Turpan Maixi Laipu Hotel Review
Part 20: Xinjiang Cuisine
Part 21: The Journey To Hami
Part 22: Hami Hotel Block 6 Photo Review
Part 23 : Glimpses Of Dunhuang (Photo Gallery)
Part 24: An Amazing Desert Experience At Echoing Sand Dunes
Part 25: A Camel Ride At Echoing Sand Dunes
Part 26: An Oasis Of Flowers At Echoing Sand Dunes
Part 27: Crescent Lake
Part 28: Mogao Grottoes
Part 29: Dunhuang Fuguo Hotel Photo Review
Part 30: Jiayuguan pass
Part 31: Jiuquan Park
Part 32: 1 Night In Jiuquan Hotel
Part 33: Glimpses Of Jiuquan
Part 34: Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park
Part 35: My Journey From Jiuquan Into Zhangye
Part 36: Giang Buddha Temple, Zhangye
Part 37: Power Mansion Hotel, Zhangye
Part 38: The Journey Into Wuwei
Part 39: Leitei Tomb Of The Han Dynasty
Part 40: Glimpses Of Langzhou
Part 41: Langzhou Waterwheel Garden
Part 42: Only 8 Hours In Langzhou Legend Hotel
Part 43: Huaqing Hotspring
Part 44: Terracotta Warriors
Part 45: Shaanxi Sunshine Grand Theatre