Gaochang Ancient City

The ancient sit is located in Astana Village, 46 kilometers to the southeast of Turpan city, Xijiang. Ruins of an ancient Silk Road town standing isolated in the Gobi Desert. Built in the 1st century B.C. and originally called Gaochangbi, it used to be a garrison town. Not much of the ruins are left, especially compared to Jiaohe, but Gaochang is less frequented by tourists. The walk along the raised footpath around the entire site is about 6km, and can be done slowly in 2 hours. However, a 40-minute tour on a mini-bus (golf cart) can be done for an additional ￥30. 

Gaochang Ancient City is composed of three parts: outer city, inner city and core city, surrounded by rammed earth walls. The outer city is in an irregular rectangular shape. The inner city is inside the outer city and the core city is in the center of the inner city slightly to the north. During the Tang Dynasty, Buddhist monk Xuanzang (602-664) lectured in the Grand Temple in this city when he stopped by on his westbound pilgrimage journey.