Landmark
Mogao Caves
UNESCO World Heritage site containing the world's largest collection of Buddhist art—735 caves with 45,000 square meters of murals spanning 1,000 years of history.
8:00 AM-6:00 PM
¥238
Dunhuang's history spans over 2,000 years. Established as a prefecture during the Han Dynasty in 111 BC, it became a crucial military outpost and trading hub on the Silk Road.
The Mogao Caves were founded in 366 AD when a monk named Le Zun carved the first cave after witnessing a vision of a thousand Buddhas. Over the next millennium, pilgrims and merchants funded the creation of hundreds of caves filled with art.
During the Tang Dynasty, Dunhuang flourished as a cosmopolitan center where Chinese, Indian, Persian, and Central Asian cultures merged. The city declined after maritime trade routes reduced Silk Road importance.
In 1900, the Library Cave was discovered, containing 50,000 manuscripts dating from the 4th to 11th centuries—a find that sparked international interest in Silk Road studies.
