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Luoyang Old Street老城十字街
Old Town Cross Street, in Luoyang's old district, is a historic quarter built over the site of the Sui-Tang city of Luoyang. Named for the cross where its two main streets meet, it glows under red lanterns each night — Luoyang's most atmospheric food street and a favourite evening destination.
Luoyang · Visitor Guide2026-10-19
Quick Answer
Is Luoyang Old Street worth visiting?
Night-market culture atop the Sui-Tang city of Luoyang — lantern-lit streets for tasting the water banquet and street snacks; best spent over 1-2 evening hours.
Quick facts
| Ticket | Free admission (snacks and restaurants charged separately) |
|---|---|
| Hours | Open all day; night market 18:00-23:00 |
| Recommended duration | 1-2 hours |
| Best time to visit | Year-round (evenings are best); holiday nights blaze with lanterns |
| How to get there | City buses to the Laocheng Shizijie stop; or taxi to the old district |
| English signage | Partial |
| Wheelchair accessible | Partial |
| Historical background | Site of the Sui-Tang city of Luoyang |
| Location | Luoyang old district |
| Signature | Red-lantern night market |
| Food | Luoyang water banquet, bufan soup, peony cakes |
| Nearby sights | Lijing Gate, Luoyi Ancient City |
| Architecture | Ming-Qing style buildings plus modern lanterns |
What to expect
Cross Street is the busiest commercial street in Luoyang's old district, taking its name from the crossroads of its two main thoroughfares. The ground was once part of the Sui-Tang city of Luoyang, and the history runs deep. Today the street is lined with Ming-Qing style buildings and hung with red lanterns after dark — Luoyang's old flavour at its strongest.
This is the town's food epicentre: the Luoyang water banquet, bufan soup, peony swallow cai, Luoning steamed pork and more. Shops crowd both sides of the street and the hawker calls pile one on another — the best single place to taste Luoyang's street life.
At night the whole street lights up, lanterns glowing against the old facades, and it becomes the town's obligatory evening photo stop. Come on a holiday and the old city's bustle is at full throttle.
How to get there
City buses (5, 16 and others) to the Laocheng Shizijie stop, or take a taxi to the old district — about 10 minutes from Luoyang railway station.
Best photo spots
- Cross Street at night under the red lanterns
- Old facades against the lantern glow
- The thronging night market
- Water-banquet displays
- Lijing Gate at the street's mouth
Tips
- Come at dusk or after dark for the lantern atmosphere
- The water banquet is a must-eat — pick an established restaurant
- Holiday crowds are enormous; mind your belongings
- Combine with Lijing Gate and Luoyi Ancient City
Scams to avoid
- Some snack stalls short-change on weight or inflate prices — choose shops with clearly marked prices
- Pushy street photographers touting for customers — be discerning
Frequently asked questions
Cross Street or Luoyi Ancient City?
Cross Street is the old district's traditional commercial street, known for food and the night market; Luoyi Ancient City is a newer faux- antique quarter focused on hanfu dress-up and creative retail. Different moods — do both.
What is the Luoyang water banquet?
Luoyang's signature banquet of 24 courses, nearly all served in broth — hence the name "water". It is the city's highest form of hospitality.
When is the best time to visit?
Evening. The lanterns burn brightest on holidays, though the crowds are heavy — take care. The street is open all day; the night market runs 18:00-23:00.
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Other things to do in Luoyang
Baiyun Mountain (Luoyang)
Yuhuangding, the highest summit of the Central Plains at 2,216 m, delivers spectacular seas of cloud, sunrise views and fiery autumn foliage — a celebrated summer escape.
Longmen Grottoes
One of China's four great grotto sites, with some 100,000 Buddha figures carved into the cliffs on both banks of the Yi River, framed by Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden.
Luoyang Museum
A National First-Grade museum holding 5,000 years of Heluo civilization — the evidence of 'the earliest China.
Shaolin Temple
The 'First Temple Under Heaven' — birthplace of Shaolin kung fu and the emblem of Chinese martial arts; admission CNY 80 and allow 4-6 hours.
Museums in Luoyang
Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum
Walk through 25 reconstructed underground tombs spanning 1,500 years — from Han Dynasty brick chambers to Song Dynasty frescoed vaults — in the world's only museum dedicated to ancient burial.
Longmen Grottoes Museum
The museum documenting the Longmen Grottoes (龙门石窟) — one of China's four great Buddhist cave temple sites with 100,000+ Buddhist images carved between 493 CE and the Tang Dynasty. ¥90.
Luoyang Museum
Luoyang's city museum covers capital-city archaeology across 13 dynasties — the nine-dynasties capital — plus context for the nearby Longmen Grottoes. Free.