The Grape Gorge

 

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Turfan, a Buddhist center before being converted to Islam in the 8th century

Xinjiang has a history of growing grapewines for more than two thousand years; with Turfan in the lead. In summer and early autumn, the Grape Gorge is cool with spring water flowing along the cliffs and through the grape trellises, which forms a sharp contrast against the hot world outsite of the Gorge.

Facts F History

Orientation F Maps

The ruins of Jiaohe

All the ancient architectural structures pf the city were built by carving of natural ground.

Astana burial grounds

The site to be the burial ground of the noble people, officials and civilians of the time of the Dynasties of Wie, Jing, Tang and the Huihu Gaochang Kingdom. The unearthered bodies are almost dried mummies.

Bezeklik Thousand Buddha caves

All the caves are in dreadful confition, most having been devastated by Muslims or robbed by all and sundry. Particularly active in the export of murals was a German, Albert von Le Coq, who removed whole frescoes from the stones walls and transported them back to the Berlin Museum where Allied bombing wiped most of them out during WWII.

Minaret Emin

Designed in a simple Afghani style and was built in 1777 by the local ruler, Emin Hoja. The minaret is circular, 44m high and tapers towards the top.

Wine production

Part of Turgan Basin is 154m below sea level - it is the lowest spot in China and the second lowest depression in the world after the Dead Sea. Turfan is also the hottest spot in China - the highest recorded temperature here as 49.6°VV

 

Karez

Views F Landscape

 
Flaming mountains

A classical Chinese novel, "Journey to the West" tells the story about how the Golden Monkey put out the fire of the mountains with a palm-leaf fan borrowed from the Princess of Iran Fan. The mountains, about 100km from the east to the west, about 10km wide, 400-500m high, are well known because the temperature in summer is as high as over 80°VVVVxC.