Atlas of China
Kizil Caves 克孜尔千佛洞Kèzī'ěr Qiānfódòng
4A scenic area · National heritage site · Aksu, Xinjiang
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Days to budget
- Half a day
- City
- Aksu
- Region
- Xinjiang
- Type
- Heritage
- Listed as
- 4A scenic area, National heritage site
About Kizil Caves
Kizil is the largest Buddhist cave complex of the ancient Kucha kingdom and among the earliest in China, cut into cliffs above the Muzat River from about the 3rd century until the 8th–9th centuries. It has around 350 caves in four groups, more than 80 of them with murals in the distinctive Kucha style, and has been part of the Silk Roads World Heritage listing since 2014. Visitors see a selection of the caves with a guide.
How to get to Kizil Caves
About 75 km by road west of Kuqa, 7 km south-east of Kizil township in Baicheng County.
Nearby
Also within 20 km: Kumtura Caves 库木吐喇千佛洞 (20 km), Wushitu'er and Xiahetu'er Ruins 乌什吐尔和夏合吐尔遗址 (20 km).
On the map
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