About Gaochang, Xinjiang, China
The ruins of the ancient city of Gaochang stands in the boundless desolate Gobi desert, in the barren desert inlaid shining like a resplendent precious stone and on the Silk Road shining. At the foot of the flaming Mountain it is located, from Turpan about 46 kilometers (about 29 miles) southeast. Among the well preserved ruins of the ancient cities in China, the test of the weather and time withstanding the ancient city of Gaochang and the ancient city of Jiaohe are the best. On June 22, 2014 to the World Heritage Sites list these two cities were added by the UNESCO.
History and visiting places for tourists
In the first century BC as a garrison town the city was initially built, Gaochang Wall called, and named Kharakhoja later, the Kocho what means King City. Along the Silk Road it was a key point. As Gaochang Prefecture, the Gaochang kingdom and the West Prefecture were ruled during the successive dynasties. The city was damaged by the 14th century and between the Mongolian aristocrats and Uigurs due to warfare was abandoned. Its past greatness and glory still displays the weather beaten ancient city after 2,000 years even though are incomplete the walls and remains the magnificent outline.
In an irregular square the ruins are located of about 2,200,000 square meters (2,631,178 square yards) which covering an area. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to the Chang’an City the layout is similar. In three sections the city is composed, they are an outer city, an inner city and a palace city. With a perimeter of 5.4 kilometers (3.4 miles) is the outer city, a city wall of 12 meters (39 feet) thick and 11.5 meters (37.7 feet) high is enclosed by, and with tamped earth it was built. In the four cardinal points are located nine city gates, they are the south, in each of the other directions there are two. The best preserve gates remains in the west. There are located two temples ruins in the southwestern and southeastern parts of the outer city. Consists of a courtyard, a gate, a sutra depository, monk’s abodes and a sermon hall the temple in the southwestern corner. Consists of a worship grotto and a polygonal tower the southeastern temple, where remain well preserved the splendid murals.
Right in the middle of the outer city the inner city situated, 3 kilometers (2 miles) is the perimeter of this inner city. There are well preserved walls in the western and the southern parts of the city. But were badly damaged the eastern and the southern parts, there are still visible only the southeastern earthen platforms and the northeastern highlands. The inner city’s gates no trace remains.
In the north of the inner city the Palace city is situated, with the inner city sharing its southern wall and with the outer city the northern wall. With a perimeter of 700 meters (2,296 feet) it is a rectangle palace. There are still visible many large cornerstones remains within the city, which average height are 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) to 4 meters (13 feet). A 4 storied palace’s relics are these cornerstones. Called the “khan’s Castle” there is an irregular adobe square standing what located in a high platform, which was the residence of the imperials.
Some information
According to the China Odyssey Tours every year 500,000 visitor come here to visit. From June to August is the best time to visit Gaochang, Xinjiang, China, this is the time when various fruits and melons are ripe here, so the visitors may taste the delicious fruits. There is also a very exciting and enjoyable event here which is the Grape Festival held in the August every year and some more events held like evening parties and grape wine festival.
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