Must-see attractions in Turpan

  • Jiaohe Ruins

    Turpan

    Also called Yarkhoto, Jiaohe was established by the ancient Jushi kingdom as a garrison town in the 2nd century BC. It’s one of the world’s largest (6500…

  • Bezeklik Cave Complex

    Turpan

    This cave complex, which dates from the 6th to 14th centuries, is located in a mesmerising desert landscape. Bezeklik means ‘Place of Paintings’ in Uyghur…

  • Emin Minaret

    Turpan

    Built to honour Turpan general Emin Hoja, this splendid 44m-high mud-brick structure is the tallest minaret in China. Named Sūgōng Tǎ after Emin’s son…

  • Tuyoq

    Turpan

    Set in a green valley fringed by the Flaming Mountains, this mud-brick village offers a fascinating glimpse of traditional Uyghur life and architecture…

  • Flaming Mountains

    Turpan

    Near the Bezeklik Caves in Turpan are the Flaming Mountains, which appear at midday like multicoloured tongues of fire. The Flaming Mountains were…

  • Turpan Museum

    Turpan

    Xinjiang’s second-largest museum houses a rich collection of relics recovered from archaeological sites across the Turpan Basin, including a superb…

  • Gaochang

    Turpan

    Dating from the 1st century, Gaochang rose to power during the Tang dynasty in the 7th century and became the Uyghur capital in AD 850. It was a major…

  • Astana Tombs

    Turpan

    The small Uyghur village of Astana contains this ancient imperial cemetery, chiefly of interest for the mummies you normally see in museums in the exact…

  • Karez System

    Turpan

    This museum is dedicated to the uniquely Central Asian–style irrigation system that includes hundreds of kilometres of above and underground canals, wells…