Turpan Travel
This oasis city on the northern Silk Road lies in the Turpan depression – one of the lowest areas on earth – and is largely a Uighur settlement. The Uighur descended from nomadic Siberian tribes who united in the 7th century and settled in the region in the 9th century. They later converted to Islam as it spread across Central Asia. It is an easy-going place, famous for its grapes, with mud-brick houses and dusty streets often covered with trellised vines. The original Silk Road settlements of Jiaohe and Gaochang lie outside town along with several other sights. In summer, the heat is intense, and it is best to use the local donkey carts as taxis.
Imin Ta
This is perhaps the most interesting of Turpan’s numerous mosques because of its old minaret (Imin Ta), constructed in 1778, that rises like a stout but graceful chimney beside it. Built by Prince Suleiman in honor of his father, Prince Emin, the minaret is broad at the base and tapers toward the top. Designed in the Iranian style with some elaborately decorative brickwork, its staircase was closed in 1989.
Jiaohe Ruins
Although less important and smaller than Gaochang, the ruins of Jiaohe are better defined. Jiaohe was founded as a garrison town but came under Uighur jurisdiction in the 6th century. It was finally abandoned during the Yuan era, perhaps due to failing water supplies. The ancient city occupies a spectacular position on a steep plateau, with its street plan clearly visible, and is well worth a visit.
Returning from Jiaohe, visitors can stop-off to see the karez irrigation site. Used throughout Xinjiang, this ingenious system of irrigation taps into natural underground water sources by using a network of subterranean tunnels which channel water to the fields. Wells, dug at intervals along the length of the tunnels, bring water to the surface.
Grape Valley
A surprisingly attractive desert oasis to the north of Turpan, Grape Valley (Putao Gou) is best visited in the height of summer. With vines and trellises bulging with grapes, it is a pleasant place to stop for lunch, with plenty of grapes and raisins to eat (for a fee). There is a winery nearby, as well as brick silos for drying the grapes.
Copyright © 2010 Mysterious China Blog. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, the site you are looking at is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact legal@www.mysteriouschina.com so we can take legal action immediately.
Plugin by Taragana