Changes

The Imperial capital was moved to Heijô from [[Fujiwara-kyo|Fujiwara-kyô]], roughly 20 km to the south, in 710. It was then moved to [[Nagaoka-kyo|Nagaoka-kyô]] in [[784]], and the palace was abandoned, left to fall into ruin; nothing remains today except some earthenwork foundations, but the [[Suzakumon]] (the main southern gate) was rebuilt in 1998, and the [[Daigokuden]] (Great Audience Hall) in 2010.

The Imperial capital was moved to Heijô from [[Fujiwara-kyo|Fujiwara-kyô]], roughly 20 km to the south, in 710. It was then moved to [[Nagaoka-kyo|Nagaoka-kyô]] in [[784]], and the palace was abandoned, left to fall into ruin; nothing remains today except some earthenwork foundations, but the [[Suzakumon]] (the main southern gate) was rebuilt in 1998, and the [[Daigokuden]] (Great Audience Hall) in 2010.

The palace compound occupied an area roughly 1100 yards from north to south, and roughly 1300 yards from east to west, within the northern portion of the city, facing south. The Daigokuden, completed in [[715]], was originally located in the center of the entire palace complex, but later in the 8th century, the complex was expanded out to the east. The name ''Daigokuden'' refers to the North Star, and to the foundation of the universe. Other structures within the complex included the imperial residence, pleasure gardens, and a number of libraries, storehouses, offices, and studios, as well as kitchens and breweries. The palace was surrounded by walls thirty feet tall, but was accessible by a number of gates, chief among them the Suzakumon, linking the compound to the city's 81-yard-wide north-south boulevard, Suzaku-ôji.<ref>Conrad Schirokauer, David Lurie, and Suzanne Gay, ''A Brief History of Japanese Civilization'', Wadsworth Cengage (2013), 30-31.</ref>

The palace compound occupied an area roughly 1100 yards from north to south, and roughly 1300 yards from east to west, within the northern portion of the city, facing south. Gates known as the Gaimon (''Kyûjômon''), Chûmon (''Kyûmon''), and Naimon (''Kômon'') punctuated three sets of packed earthen walls (moving from outer to inner). Beyond the ''Kômon'' stood the complex of buildings known as the ''Dairi'' ("Palace").<ref>Gallery labels, "Central government offices and Imperial residence of the palace at Heijô-kyô," National Museum of Japanese History.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/11572845205/sizes/k/]</ref> The Daigokuden, completed in [[715]], was originally located in the center of the entire palace complex, but later in the 8th century, the complex was expanded out to the east. The name ''Daigokuden'' refers to the North Star, and to the foundation of the universe. Other structures within the complex included the ''Chôdôin'' (central administrative offices), imperial residence, pleasure gardens, and a number of libraries, storehouses, offices, and studios, as well as kitchens and breweries. The palace was surrounded by walls thirty feet tall, but was accessible by a number of gates, chief among them the Suzakumon, linking the compound to the city's 81-yard-wide north-south boulevard, Suzaku-ôji.<ref>Conrad Schirokauer, David Lurie, and Suzanne Gay, ''A Brief History of Japanese Civilization'', Wadsworth Cengage (2013), 30-31.</ref>

No documentary sources have survived indicating the appearance of the palace, but archaeological research, along with consideration of what is known about the palace at [[Kuni-kyo|Kuni-kyô]] (capital very briefly in the 740s) and other contemporary structures, such as [[Yakushi-ji]] and [[Horyu-ji|Hôryû-ji]], as well as information about the [[Heian Imperial Palace]], has allowed scholars to infer much.

No documentary sources have survived indicating the appearance of the palace, but archaeological research, along with consideration of what is known about the palace at [[Kuni-kyo|Kuni-kyô]] (capital very briefly in the 740s) and other contemporary structures, such as [[Yakushi-ji]] and [[Horyu-ji|Hôryû-ji]], as well as information about the [[Heian Imperial Palace]], has allowed scholars to infer much.