page_title: Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor
section_title: Sites
hierarchical_section_title: Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor / Sites
caption_attribution_description: Giant Maitreya Buddha, Bingling Temple, Gansu, China Photo by Christopher M. Cline
context_page_description: Silk Roads: The Routes Network of Chang'an-Tian Shan Corridor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which covers the Chang'an-Tianshan portion of the ancient Silk Road and historical sites along the route. On June 22, 2014, UNESCO designated a 5,000 km stretch of the Silk Road network from Central China to the Zhetsyu Region of Central Asia as a World Heritage site. The corridor spans China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and includes 33 new sites and several previously designated heritage sites.
context_section_description: The Silk Road's Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor, which was approved by the World Heritage Committee in June 2014 as Site No. 1442, consists of 33 newly designated sites in China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.  The sites include capital cities and palace complexes of various empires and kingdoms, trading settlements, Buddhist cave temples, ancient paths, posthouses, mountain passes, beacon towers, sections of the Great Wall, fortifications, tombs and religious buildings.  Collectively, the 33 sites cover an area of 42,668.16 ha (164.7 sq mi) and have buffer zone 189,963.13 ha (733.5 sq mi).
  The sites are categorized into four regions along the Silk Road by ICOMOs, which assessed eligibility for the World Heritage inscription:
  1. Central China - ancient imperial capitals in the Central and Guanzhong Plains of China.
  Luoyang City of the Eastern Han to Northern Wei Dynasty, Luoyang, Henan Province
  Dingding Gate, Luoyang City of the Sui and Tang Dynasty, Luoyang
  Hangu Pass,  Xin'an County, Henan
  Shihao section of Xiaohan Route, Sanmenxia, Henan
  Weiyang Palace, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
  Daming Palace, Xi'an
  Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an
  Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an
  Xingjiao Temple, Xi'an
  Bin County Cave Temple, Bin County, Shaanxi
  Tomb of Zhang Qian, Chenggu County, Shaanxi
  Maijishan Cave Temple Complex, Tianshui, Gansu Province
  2. Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, connecting China Proper and Xinjiang.
  Bingling Temple Grottoes, Yongjing County
  Yumen Pass, Dunhuang
  Xuanquanzhi Posthouse, Dunhuang
  Suoyang City Ruins, Guazhou
  3. North and South of Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, China
  Qocho (Gaochang) City Ruins, Turpan
  Jiaohe Ruins, Turpan
  Beshbalik (Beiting) City Ruins, Jimsar County
  Kizil Gaha Beacon Tower, Kuqa (Kucha)
  Kizil Caves, Kuqa
  Subash Buddhist Temple Ruins, Kuqa
  4. Zhetysu Region of the Ili and Talas Valleys of Kazakhstan and the Chuy Valley of Kyrgyzstan
  Site of Kayalyk, Almaty Province, Kazakhstan
  Karamergen, Almaty Province, Kazakhstan
  Talgar, Almaty Province, Kazakhstan
  Aktobe, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
  Kulan, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
  Akyrtas, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
  Ornek, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
  Kostobe, Jambyl Province, Kazakhstan
  City of Suyab (Site of Ak-Beshim), Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan
  City of Balasagun (Site of Burana), Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan
  City of Nevaket (Site of Krasnaya Rechka), Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan
  Other sites at the Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor are the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang which had already been inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1987, and the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang which had already been inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2000.
caption: Bingling Temple Grottoes
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