Mogao Caves

Tips for visiting Mogao Caves: Taking photos inside the caves is forbidden. As there is not enough natural light inside the caves, bring a flashlight. We also suggest that tourists study the history ahead of time to better understand the Mogao Caves murals.

The Mogao Caves, a renowned Buddhist art treasure, are situated about 25 kilometers (about 16 miles) southeast of Dunhuang City on the eastern face of Echoing-Sand Mountain. Long zigzag plank roads built along the cliffs connect the Mogao Caves. The stateliness and mystery of the murals, the painted sculptures and the elegant Buddha statues in these caves leave tourists breathless.

The Mogao Caves were started in 366 and during the next 1600 years, many dynasties created additional caves here. There are about 492 preserved caves from different dynasties; these constitute the most complete and massive art caves in the world. Mogao Caves are a three-dimensional combination of architecture, sculptures and paintings. Artists in ancient times combined the traditional art of Han and the western nationalities of China with the exotic art style from Middle Asia and developed a Chinese Buddhist art with dense Dunhuang features. These caves are called Buddhist grottoes, but the subjects in the grottoes are not only about Buddhism. Tourists will discover depictions of ancient lifestyles, folk-customs, scenes of economies and cultures intermingling at various times, creating a study of ancient China. In 1991, UNESSCO listed the Mogao Caves as part of World Heritage.

Tourists can take private buses or taxi from downtown Dunhuang to Mogao Grottoes.

Admission Fee	CNY 160 (May 1 to Oct. 31)
Admission Fee	CNY 80 (Nov.1 to Apr. 30)
Opening Hours	08:10 to 18:00
Recommended Time for a Visit	Half a day