Jiaohe Ruins are located 13 kilometers west of Turpan city, Xinjiang province. The name ‘Jiaohe’ refers to the two rivers that join together in the southern part of the town.
It was built with rammed earth and bricks 2,300 years ago, controlled by the residents of Gaochang. Jiaohe was founded as a garrison town and was powerful and important. Taken by the Uighars, it was eventually abandoned during the Yuan era, perhaps due to dwindling water supplies or lack of Muslim iconoclasm regarding Buddhist remains.
The city, situated along the Silk Road, was of great military significance and played a pivotal role in the economic development of Western and Eastern countries. ,
The whole city stretches about 1650 meters from south to north, and 300 meters from east to west. Jiaohe Ancient City had only two city gates, the South and East Gates. The South Gate was the main one and has vanished long ago. The East Gate was cut from the side of the cliff and only a few remnants are left today. At the same time, three high cliffs surround the city so that there’s no need to build city walls. And almost all the buildings were made of earth instead of wood.
In Jiaohe ancient city, there was a long main street that went down the center of the islet that divided the city into two parts. The western part was for common people, called residential area, and the rulers lived in the east. On the northwest side, there is a Buddhist monastery and a big tower that is one of the biggest remaining ruins. Since Jiaohe Ruins are the best preserved ancient city in China, the style of buildings are strongly influenced by those especially in Tang Dynasty. The unique techniques that used in these ancient architectures show the wisdom and creativity of workers at that time.
