Qikou Old Street
碛口古街
A Ming and Qing merchant street known as the “First Town of the Nine-Bend Yellow River.” Its western, central and eastern market streets run along the river, with warehouses and money houses built into the hillside.
Qikou lies where the Qiu River flows into the Yellow River. From the Ming and Qing dynasties through the Republican era, it was a transshipment port for river trade on the Yellow River. The saying “Qikou can never carry off all its cargo, Wucheng can never fill all its warehouses” describes the prosperity it once enjoyed. The old town preserves West Market Street, Central Market Street and East Market Street, along with hundreds of warehouses, pawnshops, money houses and camel inns. Most of the buildings are made of stone arched cave dwellings and timber shopfronts. Entry to the old town is free. You can stay in a cave-dwelling guesthouse, go to the wharf in the evening to watch the sunset over the Yellow River, and try local specialties such as Qikou jujube cake, Yellow River carp and wantuo (steamed rice cakes in bowls).
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Heilong Temple
- Zhaizishan Village
- Xiwan Village
- Lijiashan Village
- Datong Rapids
- Sunjiagou Village
- Yellow River Gallery (Kaiyang)
- Baiyun Mountain (Jia County)