Tianshan Temple (East Tianshan Scenic Area)
天山庙
An old Guandi temple at the Tianshan pass on the road from Hami to Barkol, at about 2,700 meters above sea level. From here you can look over two starkly different landscapes, north and south of the mountains.
Tianshan Temple, originally called the Tianshan Guandi Temple, sits near the Tianshan pass on the road from Hami to Barkol, at an altitude of about 2,700 meters. Since the Qing dynasty it has been a place where Silk Road travelers prayed for safe journeys, and today it is the emblem of the East Tianshan scenic area. From the viewing platform in front of the temple, the south looks out over Gobi desert, while the north shows pine forests and the Barkol grasslands. Two very different climates lie on either side of a single mountain range. The temple is busy in summer, when incense burns strongly. In winter, the pass is covered in snow and the roads are slippery, so watch for traffic controls. It is about 1 hour's drive from Barkol County town, and can be combined with Songshutang and Barkol Singing Sand Mountain in one East Tianshan day trip.
Opening hours
All day (scenic area hours per announcements)
Nearby sights
- Songshutang
- Dongheigou Site
- Barkol Grassland
- Dizang Temple (Barkol)
- Barkol Ancient City
- Dahe Ancient City
- Lanzhouwanzi & Xiheigou Sites
- Barkol Lake