The Yungang Grottoes are located approximately 15km west of Datong. Carved into the cliffs over a length of 1 kilometer around 1,500 years ago, these 50 Buddhist caves are adorned with richly decorated sculptures totaling 51,000 images. Particularly remarkable is the technique used, which was completely innovative at the time: the sculptures were entirely carved out of the rock face. The coloring seen today was added in the late 19th century.
The Yungang Grottoes were the first cave project solely funded by the emperor.
In 2001, the Yungang Grottoes were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
