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Ancient City of Gaochang

The ruins of the ancient city of Gaochang (Kharakhoja) sit 46 kilometers southeast of Turan with an area of 2,000,000 square meters. It was originally built in the first century B.C. and became the capital of the Gaochang Kingdom in the 9th century. It was a key point along the ancient Silk Road and was burnt down for the lasting war from the 13 century.
From the ruins, we can still identify the three sections of the city: the outer and inner cities, and the palace complex. A thick and high wall encloses the outer city with nine gates, three in the south and two in each other three directions. Two temple remains exists in the southwestern and northwestern parts of the outer city. The inner city was destroyed more seriously which only the western and eastern parts are preserved. Khan's Castle in the middle of the western part is considered to be a ruin of the palace complex.
Gaochang like an old-man tells the long story about this ever-refulgent city to the visitors here.