Kizil Caves

The Thousand Buddha caves of Kizil, in short: Kizil Grottoes (also Qizil Caves, Ch Kezi'er Qianfodong克孜尔 千佛洞or Kezi'er Shiku克孜尔 石窟) are a set of 236 Buddhist rock caves in the municipality of Kizil ( Qizil ,克孜尔 乡) of the circle Bay ( Baicheng ) in the district of Aksu Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. They are located about 7 km south-east of Kizil on the north bank of the river Muzat (Ch Muzate He), about 75 km from Kuqa ( Kucha ). The area was a trading center on the Silk Road.

The caves are one of the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China. The caves were dug mainly in the period of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the earliest in the 4th century ( including the famous cave No. 38), the latest in the Yuan Dynasty. Although the site was damaged and looted, many square meters of wall paintings - mostly with Jatakas - get.

The cave temples stand on the monument list the People's Republic of China ( 1-41 ) since 1961.