# Guge Kingdom Ruins (古格王国遗址)

Ngari, Tibet Autonomous Region · Southwest, China · Guidebook rating: 5/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/guge-kingdom-ruins
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** ¥65
- **Opening hours:** 8：00—20：30
- **Time needed:** 2–3 hours
- **Getting there:** If you are not travelling by chartered vehicle, you can try hitchhiking at the junction on the south side of the county town, but traffic is light and only the occasional military truck passes through.
- **By car:** National Highway 219, Menshi Township (门士乡) → Qulong Yincheng (曲龙银城) → Dongpo Temple (东坡寺) → Daba Ruins (达巴遗址) → Guge Kingdom Ruins
- **Good for:** History & Culture, Architecture, Photography

## About Guge Kingdom Ruins

The Guge Kingdom Ruins cover about 180,000 square meters. Rising more than 300 meters from the foot of the mountain to its summit, the site is densely packed with dwellings, stupas and caves, more than 600 in all, forming a vast complex of ancient architecture. In recent years, the sculptures, carvings and murals unearthed around the ruins have become precious legacies left by this mysterious kingdom. Guge sculpture consists mainly of gilt and silver Buddhist figures, and its greatest achievement is the statues known as the Guge Silver Eyes. The most completely preserved and most numerous remains are the murals. Guge murals have a distinctive style and reflect every aspect of social life of the time.
The site is surrounded by city walls with watchtowers at the four corners. The ruins sit on a small earthen hill and are arranged in three tiers: the royal palace, the temples and the residences.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 593. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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