Mogao Grottoes are also called Thousand-Buddha Caves, lying southeast of Dunhuang. The Mogao Grottoes are scooped into the western cliff of Daquan Gorge and the eastern cliff of the Mingsha Mountain. The first grotto came under construction in 366 AD. Housed in the 492 cave-temples that have remained to this day are 2,400-odd sculptures and 45,000 square meters of frescos. These grottoes, in the possession of the world's largest collection of sculptures and paintings, were designated by the UNESCO as a world-class cultural heritage in December 1987.

Inarticulate harmony between architecture, sculpture and murals is a salient feature of the art of the Mogao Grottoes. The cave-temples come in diverse shapes and the frescos are varied in theme and motif. The motifs run the gamut from Buddhist scenes and sights to buildings, landscapes, and animals. Together they shed precious light on the life, culture and east-west exchanges from Northern Wei to Yuan Dynasty (from 386 to 1368). They are rare cultural gems belonging to the entire mankind.

Entry fee: 50 yuan

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