Ruins Of 2,300-Year-Old City Of Jiaohe On The Silk Road

AncientPages.com | August 6, 2023

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Jiaohe (in Chinese: 'where two rivers meet') is considered one of China's oldest, largest, and best-preserved earthen cities.

It was built 2,300 years ago, and its ruins are located along the Silk Road in the Yaernaizi Valley, 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) west of Turpan in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.



Ruins of Jiaohe, a city where all the buildings were dug from earth and wood was rarely used. Credits: China Tour Guide

As wood was rarely used, all its buildings were constructed from the earth. People dug houses and rooms downward from the ground and built them with dried bricks.

Jiaohe's main street was long and went down to the center of the islet (1650 m in length, 300 m wide), dividing the city into two parts. The western part was for ordinary people, and the rulers lived in the east. In the northwestern part of the city is a Buddhist monastery, and around China's oldest Buddhist stupa, there are 25 smaller stupas built in all directions.

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https://www.ancientpages.com/2023/08/06/ruins-of-2300-year-old-city-of-jiaohe-on-the-silk-road/