交河故城，建築年代距今約2000-2300年。
故城狀如柳葉，為兩條河交錯中的河心洲，故稱交河。由於地勢險要，易守難攻，曾是古車師前部王國的國都。

十三世紀末，交河城毀於戰火，僅存城基與斷垣殘壁，當初的市井、官署、寺院、佛塔、大小街道仍歷歷可見。
交河城建築布局獨具一格，是目前世界上最大最古老也是保存的最好的土建築城市。

我們在交河故城渡過了旅程中最熱的一天，當日�鄎蚻凰嶀�43度，不過由於氣候干燥，感覺只炎不熱，比香港的天氣還爽呢！


The Ancient City of Jiaohe is 10km west of Turfan.
Jiaohe means "intersecting rivers" and the ruins are located on top of a 30m cliff carved out by 2 long dried up rivers.

2000 years ago, Jiaohe was powerful and important - it was the capital of the state of South Cheshi,
one of the kingdoms of the Han dynasty (206-220BC).
The city was at its cultural peak under the Uighurs, but Mongol rebellions led to its demise,
and by the Yuan dynasty (1280-1368AD) Jiaohe was deserted.

The dusty ruins reveal the structure of the city - the impressive city walls and the huts,
temples, watchtowers, courtyards, streets and wells.

A Buddhist monastery complete with dagoba, stands in the center of the city and
inside there are the remains of several headless statues of the Buddha enclosed in niches.