Kizilgaha Beacon Tower: A rare relic of ancient Silk Road defenses
The Kizilgaha Beacon Tower, situated in the city of Kuche, Aksu, is among the most well-preserved ancient towers of its kind in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo/seexinjiang.com]
The Kizilgaha Beacon Tower, situated in the city of Kuche, Aksu, is among the most well-preserved ancient towers of its kind in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
As part of China's ancient Great Wall defense system, the beacon tower played a vital role in safeguarding the passage of the Silk Road, and improving stability and development in the Western Regions. Since the Han Dynasty (260BC-220), central governments began to build fortifications and strategic military defense systems, such as city walls, fortress walls, and beacon towers.
The beacon tower had guards stationed round the clock for message transmission. They lit fires at night and used smoke signals during the day, employing various codes to indicate enemy forces' numbers and locations.
The Kizilgaha Beacon Tower, situated in the city of Kuche, Aksu, is among the most well-preserved ancient towers of its kind in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo/seexinjiang.com]
The Kizilgaha Beacon Tower, built along the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains to protect transportation along the Silk Road, stands 13 meters tall, and features a rectangular base measuring approximately 6.5 meters east to west, and 4.5 meters north to south.
This tower is a rare and precious relic of the ancient Silk Road passages in the Western Regions. It is not only the most well-preserved and oldest existing ancient beacons in Xinjiang but also a witness to the history and culture of the ancient Silk Road, and an essential cultural heritage for studying history, military communications, culture and architecture, among others.
This tower is a rare and precious relic of the ancient Silk Road passages in the Western Regions. [Photo/seexinjiang.com]