Weiyang Palace

The Weiyang Palace (Chinese: 未央宮) was the principal imperial palace of the Western Han dynasty in Chang'an, now Xi'an, China. Emperor Gaozu of Han ordered its construction in 200 BC under the supervision of chancellor Xiao He. The complex contained audience halls, government offices, residential quarters, gardens, and ritual spaces, and served as the political centre of the Western Han empire.

Later dynasties continued to use or rebuild parts of the palace, including the Xin, Eastern Han, Western Jin, Former Zhao, Former Qin, Later Qin, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, and early Sui. The walled compound covered about 4.8 km (1.9 sq mi). This made it one of the largest palace complexes known from ancient China. Its scale and long administrative use preserve evidence for the development of imperial capitals and court government from the Han period onward.

The surviving site consists mainly of rammed-earth foundations, including the remains of the Front Hall, government offices, gates, and palace walls. It is protected within the Han Chang'an City archaeological park and was inscribed in 2014 as a component of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor. The archaeological park allows visitors to see the palace platforms and the relationship between Weiyang Palace and the wider Han capital.