Ruin sights in Asia
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Kāifēng Synagogue
Sadly, nothing remains of the synagogue except a well with an iron lid in the boiler room of the No 4 People's Hospital. The spirit of it lingers, however, in the name of the brick alley immediately south of the hospital – Jiaojing Hutong (教经胡同; Teaching the Scripture Alley).
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A
Wat Nakhon Kosa
Just along from the train station is Wat Nakhon Kosa. Built in the 12th century it may have originally been a Hindu shrine. The main chedi was built during the Dvaravati period, while the wí·hǎhn was added later by King Narai. To the rear is a collection of headless Buddha images.
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B
Wat Sao Thong Thong
Northwest of the palace centre, Wat Sao Thong Thong is remarkable for its unusual Gothic-style windows, which were added by King Narai so it could be used as a Christian chapel.
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C
Prang Khaek
The oldest monument in Lopburi, this 11th-century tower is on a triangular piece of land bordered by Th Wichayen to the north. The structure has Khmer-style brickwork and was possibly once a temple to the Hindu god Shiva.
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Qiūcí Ancient City Ruins
These ruins, located on the main road, are all that is left of the capital of Qiūcí. It's a 20-minute walk northwest of the main intersection where Tianshan Lu forks in two, or bus 4 will take you there. Expect, well, not much.
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Qiāng Watchtowers
These ancient stone towers, nestled incongruously among village homes on hillsides overlooking the Dàdù River, were built by the Qiang people between 700 and 1200 years ago. The towers range from 20m to 60m in height and were used as places of worship and to store valuable goods as well as to signal warnings of would-be attackers. They were built with a number of inner wooden storeys, which have since disintegrated, and entrances that were some metres above ground. One enterprising family in Suōpō (梭坡; the nearest village to Dānbā with watchtowers) has rebuilt the wooden levels of the tower next to their home and allows visitors to climb up the inside from their rooft…
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Melikawat Ruins
The deserts around Hotan are peppered with the faint remains of abandoned cities. The most interesting are those of Melikawat, 25km south of town, a Tang-dynasty settlement with wind-eroded walls, the remains of pottery kilns, Buddhist stupas and scattered potsherds. Some scholars believe Melikawat was a capital city of the Yutian state (206 BC–AD907), an Indo-European civilisation that thrived during the height of the Silk Road epoch. A taxi should cost about Y100 to Melikawat.
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Ha Noi Ruins & Mor Pagoda
At the end of a 45km drive northeast of town are the Ha Noi Ruins, a Tang-dynasty town built in the 7th century and abandoned in the 12th century. Little remains beside a solid pyramid-like structure and the huge Mor Pagoda (莫尔佛塔; Mù'ěr Fótǎ).
Flag down any taxi in town. A round trip, including waiting time, is Y100 to Y150.
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