Astana-Karakhoja Tombs, Xinjiang Uygur, China
3.0 (47 reviews) Spent Ranking #15 in Turpan Ancient Ruins • Cemeteries
Urumqi Museum better to view the mummies
Only 3 tombs open, one contains 2 mummies and the other 2 paintings. Good to see them insitu but more to see in the Urumqi museum. Interesting but not worth going out of your way for. I must add though the new toilets here are the best in the whole of Xinjiang!
Address
Asitana Village, Huoyanshan Country, Turpan 838000 China
Current local date and time now
Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 9:33
User Ratings
3.0 based on (47 reviews)
Excellent
4%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
36%
Poor
15%
Terrible
11%
Reviews
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3Andrew M 5:00 PM Aug 23, 2019
Only 3 Tombs open for viewing
We were a little disappointed by our visit to the Astana Tombs. We had read that over 500 tombs had been excavated, so hoped to be able to view many of them. When we visited, only 3 tombs were accessible - 210, 215 & 216. We had seen mummies in the Xinjiang Uighur Regional Museum in Urumqi and the Turpan Museum, and visited here to view the area where most of the mummies were discovered. The entrance fee was RMB40, and we thought this a little expensive just to view 3 tombs. The first tomb had two mummies which were protected by glass coverings. Photos are allowed in these chambers. The other two chambers had murals, but photos were not allowed. The drum tower area, had a sculpture of Fuxi and Nuwa, who had the heads of a man and woman and bodies of a snake, which were entwined. The man had a square measuring instrument in his hand and the lady a scissors. This design was found on fabric in many of the excavated tombs, and was regularly used during the Han Dynasty in their burial practices. The Drum Tower can not be climbed, and photos can only be taken from ground level.There were many "protecting" sculptures that we were used to seeing in Buddhist temples. We were in and out of this attraction in less than half an hour. It was great to see the ancient tombs, but we think that more tombs should be opened to make a visit to this site seem worthwhile.
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3Travelingmaven 5:00 PM Jun 7, 2014
Not sure it's worth a visit
Only 3 tombs were open in this large graveyard. Two were empty and one contained a male and female mummy. The Turpan museum has mummies, so rather than walk up and down into tombs in a hot graveyard, I'd rather see mummies in air conditioned comfort.
