Stone City

Introducing Stone City (from CITS)
Meaning Stone City in Turki, Tashkurgan was so named after an ancient city, more than 2,000 years old. The Stone City is located in the north of Tashkurgan County, Xinjiang Province. The Stone City was famous for its location at the junction of the middle route and southern route of the ancient Silk Road.

Stone City Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Shi Tou Cheng 石头城
• Best Time to Visit: August & September
• Recommended Visiting Hours: 1-2 hours
• Things to Do: Photography, Local Folk Customs, Architecture
• Opening Hours: 10:00-19:00
• Entrance Fee: CNY 60
• Address: In the north of Tashurgan County, Kashgar City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

What to expect at Stone City

Built on a mound of 20 meters high (about 67 feet high), all that remains of the Stone City today are some parts of the periphery of city, such as the gate, city wall whereas the buildings inside the city had all collapsed. However you can still enjoy the view of the ruined city, the surrounding snow-crowned mountains, grasslands, rivers and even the flavor of national traits of the Tajik people.

 

The Stone City is almost a square shape and measures more than 1300 meters in perimeter. Built on a high precipitous hill, the Stone City has multilayer of constant or disconnected city walls which were constructed according to the terrain with stones. The highest wall is high as 6 meters, and among walls are overlapped stones in a mess, which constitute a unique sight of the Stone City. Watchtowers were built in the four corners but unfortunately collapsed. On the outside city wall in the west and north, Mamian (a devil in the netherworld in Chinese Culture) carvings were found; while in the ruins of an ancient Buddhist temple, many a pottery, copper cash of Tang Dynasty, cloths, silk fabric, and a palm leaf manuscript in Sanskrit were excavated.

How to get to Stone City
• There is a coach departs from Kashgar to Tashkurgan each day; the coach gets to Tashkurgan in the evening and will depart for Khunjerab Pass and Sost, a Sino-Pakistan border town of Pakistan the next day.
• Rent a car/bus from GGC to enjoy a hassle free private transfer from hotels in Kashgar to Stone City.

Additional travel advice on Stone City
• There is no hostels in Tashkurgan County; the Tajik are very kind and friendly, and can receive visitors in their house with reasonable price;
• It is a must to get a border pass before enter Tashkurgan, and visitors can have a travel agency to apply for one.