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Ancient City of Gaochang
Known as the largest ancient city in western China, Gaochang is also called ‘King City’ by the Uyghur people. It is located 47 kilometers southeast of Turpan and 6.5 kilometers north of Mutou Valley at Flaming Mountain.The city of Gaochang played an important role as the political, economic and cultural center of Xinjiang in ancient times. Hence, it was also an important stop on the Silk Road. Alongside the Jiaohe Ruins, Gaochang is one of the best preserved ancient cities in China. It consists of three parts; the outer city forms a square shape and has a 5-kilometer circumference; the inner city in the middle occupies the center; and finally, the third part is the palace city, which is situated in the northern Gaochang.
The ancient city of Gaochang has a long history dating back to the Han Dynasty (around the 1st century B.C.), when it was called Gaochangbi. It became the capital city of the Qu’s Gaochang Kingdom during the Northern Wei and early Tang Dynasties. Then, the West Prefecture was set up here. As time went by, war spoiled the quiet of this ancient city until, in 1400, Gaochang was finally burnt down. The present Gaochang ruins mostly belong to the Uyghur period of Gaochang. As tourism develops here, Gaochang is gradually becoming a more and more popular spot for sightseeing and archaeology.
The Astana Tombs, located 40 kilometers from Turpan city in the Gobi Desert of northern Gaochang, were used as a public cemetery for the inhabitants of Gaochang from from 273 in the Western Jin Dynasty to 778 in the Tang Dynasty. Thousands of priceless historical relics have been unearthed including mummies, writings, inscriptions, paintings, earthen figurines, and artifacts of stone, pottery, wood, bronze, iron, gold, silver, as well as ancient coins and cotton, silk, and wool. With so many artifacts and examples of social history from 500 years, the Astana Tombs have been called Gaochang’s ‘Living Historical Archives’ and an ‘Underground Museum’ in the Turpan area.More Attractions
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