Kashgar Old Town

Kashgar Old Town used to be at the crossroads of the northern and southern branches of the Silk Road, near the western edge of the Taklamakan Desert. Traders from Asia and Europe, weary from their frigid treks, unloaded their pack horses in Kashgar and sold their goods along the city's cramped streets. Influenced both by Eastern and Western cultures, the architecture of the Kashgar Old Town displays the charm of Central and Western Asia as well as elements of ancient Roman.
 

Located in the center of Kashgar, the ancient city of Kashgar is criss-crossed, winding and secluded streets, with scattered, quaint and beautiful houses and dazzling handicrafts such as flower hats, bronzes and earthenware. Strolling in the alleys of the thousand-year ancient city, the familiar alleys and stores are full of vitality. At present, tourists from all over the world pass by from time to time, and the ancient city seems to tell visitors from all corners of the country the history and prosperity of it day after day and year after year.
 

Facts of Kashgar Ancient City

Kashgar Old Town is an old-aged site with more than 2000 years. Kashgar Old Town is situated in the center of Kashgar city. With the square kilometers of 4.25, the population of the old town is 126,800, all of whom are Muslims. Kashgar Old Town is the only town with Islamic character and in maze-design.

 

Kashgar’s soul is in Kashgar Old Town, it represents the city's past, and peaceful present, if lucky, it will represent the future. Kashgar city, formerly known as Shule, has 2000 years of history. The ancient city of Shule in Kashgar is located the south, and in the Tang dynasty government had set Shule town here, however, the relic site is in the Hanoyi Ancient City where is 20 km from east of Kashgar. Walking into the old streets, in the scope of about 2 square kilometers, 23000 residents live staggered and overlapped, 200 to 300 roadways crisscross.


 

How to Spend A Day in Kashgar Ancient City

10:30 City Opening Ceremony

At 10:30, the opening ceremony of Kashgar Ancient City will be held, and you can see the performances of the dances of Kashgar. Besides, you can see the caravans, it seems that you are in the Silk Road of thousands of years ago.
 

11:30 Taking photos at Kashgar Ancient Town

The buildings and architectures of Kashgar Ancient Town is beautiful, which blends the architecture styles of Xinjiang and other countries near Xinjiang and on the ancient Silk Road. You can wear the clothes of characteristic styles of Xinjiang. Walking on the streets of Kashgar Ancient City, you can stop anytime to get wonderful pictures.

 

14:30 Stop at the Old Tea House of A Hundred Years

There is a hundred-year old tea house at Kashgar Ancient City. It is a two-storey building with characteristic architectural style of Xinjiang. You can go upstairs to the second floor from the wooden stairs. At the second floor of the A Hundred Year Old Tea House, you can enjoy a cup of tea as well as enjoying the scenery of the Kashgar Ancient City. This old tea house is also the shocking place of the movie The Kite Runner, which makes it more famous.
 

15:30 Oil Painting Street

There is an Oil Painting Street at Kasgar Ancient City, which is paradise for oil painting lovers. This street is clean, elegant and beautiful with deep artistic atmosphere. Strolling around the Oil Painting Street at Kashgar Ancient City, you can see the artists painting here, and you can also try to paint an oil painting here. And the beautiful, colorful and characteristic architectures at Kashgar Ancient City are best background for your painting.
 

16:30 Watching the Performance of Princess Choosing A Husband

The folk customs performance of princess choosing a husband will be held every day at 16:30 at Kashgar Ancient City. Accompanied by the happy songs of the caravans, there are dances and singing performances from the small square to the tea house. Then you can watch the performance of princess choosing a husband. The princess will throw a colorful ball from the high board, the luck man who gets the colorful ball will be the “husband” of the princess and get the chance to visit the Kashgar Ancient City with the princess. If you are interested in this folk customs performance, you can watch this performance at Kashgar Ancient City.
 

20:00 Taste the Delicious Foods at the Bazaar

The night market at Han Bazzar at the Kashgar Ancient City is vibrant. You can stroll around the night market and taste the various kinds of snacks and foods of Kashgar like barbecue, grilled fish, roast pigeon and roast pumpkin. The air of the night market is full of the tasty flavour of the foods.
 

21:00 Enjoy the Night View of Kashgar Ancient City

At nights, the lights of the buildings of the Kashgar Ancient City are on, which make the ancient city more gorgeous and attractive. You can walk slowly to full experience the beauty of Kashgar and Kashgar Ancient City.
 

How to Get to Kashgar Ancient City

Kashgar Ancient City is just located near the city center of Kashgar, and you can take taxi or even walk to the Kashgar Ancient City. 
 

Tips

1. There are tickets selling in the Kashgar Old Town for entering in it, but there are also some entrances which is free of charge to enter (such as across the mosque, or behind the statue of chairman Mao, etc.), if you have enough time you can linger over there better.

2. The old houses in the Kashgar Old Town are allowed to visit. If two doors of a general residential house are open, it represents the house host is at home; If you see only a separate door open, it represents only the hostess at home; And if you see the front door hanging curtain, it represents that now there is a guest in the home for visiting. Walking in the old town and watching different door, it's a very interesting thing.

3. If you get lost in the old town, see the brick under your feet, it is the leading mark of walking which can lead you walk out of the old town. As long as go along hexangular brick, you can get out of the old town; and go along quadrangular brick is a dead end. This is a cord word that between locals. Normally if outsiders who don't understand will easily get lost here, and the local people are very familiar with, so they don't have this kind of problem. After trying, it was confirmed that this method is very useful.