The Ancient City of Gaochang Guide

The Ancient City of Gaochang is located near the Flaming Mountains and southeast of Turpan. The city was constructed in the first century B.C. and was first called Gaochangbi. However, during the 14th century, the city was burned down by wars. The city walls are still intact and divide the city into three parts: the inner, outer and palace. The inner city, situated right in the middle of the outer city, has a perimeter of 3 kilometers (2 miles). The western and southern parts of the city walls are well preserved. The eastern and southern parts were badly damaged, only with the northeastern highlands

and the southeastern earthen platforms are still visible. No trace of the inner city's gates remain. The palace city is located inside the inner city which is located inside the outer city. One can find inside the inner city ruins of workshops and markets. There is also an old temple located in the southwestern area of the city. The temple still has several murals that are visible. As one of the key points along the Silk Road, the ancient city of Gaochang was also a sanctuary of world religious culture. Xuanzhuang, a well-known Buddhist monk in the Tang Dynasty stopped here and delivered lectures on his way to India. The

best time to visit Turpan is from June to August when various melons and fruits are ripe, so you may taste the delicious fruits. The Grape Festival held in August every year is also quite exciting and very enjoyable. During the Grape Festival, a variety of cultural activities such as evening parties, and the grape wine festival are enjoyable events to attend. Here's some guide information in your travel of The Ancient City of Gaochang: Address: 40km southeast of Turpan, Xinjiang Province. Contact number: 0086-995-8520171    Admission Fee: CNY20   Opening Hours: 08:00 -17:00

• Xinjiang Museum
• Heavenly Lake
• Tianshan Mountain
• The Khazak Yurts
• The Erdaoqiao Bazaar of Urumqi
• The Southern Pasture
• Abakh Khoja Tomb of Kashgar
• Id Kah Mosque of Kashgar
• Karakuri Lake
• Thousand Buddha Cave
• Flaming Hill
• The Ancient City of Gaochang
• The Karez Well
• The Emin Minaret
• The Grape Valley
• The Astana Tombs
• Tianshui Maijishan
• Kashgar Old Town