Heijyou-kyou in Nara was the capital city of Japan from 710 to 794 at which time the capital was relocated to Heian-kyou in Kyoto. During the Nara period, which lasted for 70 years, Heijyou-kyou flourished as the center of politics and economics. The Tenpyou-bunka culture also blossomed during the Nara period. The ruins of the Heijyou Palace, or Nara Palace, cover 1 square kilometer with 300 meters square apron to the east, and the surrounding area is preserved and protected as a special historical site. In 1998, the site was designated as World Heritage Site and was the first time that historical ruins were designated as such in Japan.  Heijyou-kyou city was based on Chang’an, the capital of China during the T’ang Dynasty. The go board-like grid system of its streets was built throughout the city and important government buildings, including Daigoku-den, Dairi and Choudou-in were all placed according to certain beliefs and laws of that time. The reconstructed sites of Suzaku-in and To-in Garden stand in the vast grounds of the ruins of the palace. The Nara Palace Site Museum exhibits unearthed artifacts and archaeological finds from the grounds. Heijyou-kyou Palace evokes the decadence of the Tenpyou Culture and imparts the feeling of its historical significance to the visitor.