This cave complex, which dates from the 6th to 14th century, has a fine location in a mesmerising desert landscape. Bezeklik means ‘Place of Paintings’ in Uighur and the murals painted in the 11th century represented a high point in Uighur Buddhist art. Sadly the site is now famous for having most of its distinctive cave art cut out of the rock face by German, Japanese and British teams in the early 20th century.
Even more sad is that many of these did not survive WWII bombings. Today, only photographic remains exist for many masterpieces but there is still enough at the original site to make the trip out worthwhile. Most travellers also simply enjoy the chance to walk around a major historical complex without the usual crowds.
