Home > Kids > World Heritage Coin Sets > 9. Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
World Heritage Coin Sets 9. Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
Nara, originally known as Heijo-kyo, became the capital of Japan in 710 and flourished as the political, economic, and cultural center for the following 74 years, until 784. The city of Heijyo-kyo was built on a large-scale city plan that adopted a grid pattern of square blocks. Within the city the Imperial Palace, government offices, temples, and markets were located. In December 1998, eight historic monuments of the Nara period (710-784) were designated as World Heritage sites. Included are five Buddhist temples, one Shinto shrine, one primeval forest, and the excavated remains of the Imperial Palace site. The temple and shrine sites include 78 buildings.
