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Prefecture-level city in Gansu, People's Republic of China
Photo: Graeme Bray, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Zhangye (张掖; Zhāngyè) is a city in Gansu Province with striking mountain scenery nearby.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
大佛寺
Holds the largest wooden indoor reclining Buddha in China at 34.5 m long, 7.5 m high. This temple is the reputed birthplace for the Mongol emperor, Kublai Khan.
张掖鼓楼, Zhenyuan Building
Built in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. There is a huge drum hanging upstairs, once used to report the time and convey warnings. The top has an excellent view of the city. Open but wrapped in a big ugly canvas for renovations as of June 2026.
張掖山西會館
A guild hall built by Shanxi merchants living in Zhangye during the Qing Dynasty. Closed for renovations as of June 2026.
張掖市博物館
A great little history and culture museum if you can read Chinese – unfortunately almost none of the displays are in English.
木塔寺, Mutasi
The Wooden Pagoda Temple is one of the Five Elements Pagodas in Zhangye. The existing wooden pagoda was rebuilt in 1926. The tower is 32.8 m high, with nine levels on eight sides. Each level has a wood-carved dragon head, a pearl in the mouth, and a wind chime hanging below. The main body of the tower is a wooden structure, and the outer eaves are built in the style of a pavilion. You can climb up the stairs of the tower. Each floor is equipped with a cloister and a guardrail. On the top floor you can overlook the city from the railing.
张掖丹霞国家地质公园 (七彩丹霞), Rainbow Mountains
A unique geological landscape with layers of rocks of different colors and mountains in the background. It is one of the highlights of Gansu province. Be aware that despite seeming like it is in the middle of nowhere on a map, the site is heavily commercialized, filled with shops selling tourist snacks and knick-knacks, touts on megaphones, speakers and screens blaring Chinese pop music, unidirectional chutes built to herd the crowds, etc. You cannot walk in the park except on the 4 dedicated wooden structures and staircases. A frequent shuttle service will take you between each spot inside the park. It is possible to re-enter the park the next morning before 08:00 for only the cost of the park shuttle bus, if you register your fingerprints at a scanner at one of the stops.
黑水国遗址
Ancient cultural sites of the Neolithic period.
南湖公园, South Lake Ecological Botanical Garden
Cultural landscape and botanical garden.
马蹄寺, Horse's Hoof Temple
Temples and grottoes are carved into the side of a cliff in several zones spread over several kilometres. Several of these can be visited and climbed through, in some cases through tight vertical passageways using small footholds and handholds. Most of the statues were heavily damaged in the 1960s, but the buildings and passageways are in good shape. Besides the temple you can do a 2-hr horse tour passing a fantastic landscape (horse ride ¥150-200) or hike.
张掖丹霞国家地质公园 (冰沟丹霞)
Less colourful than the more famous Qicai Danxia, this one features columns of red rock (with some white bands), in two valleys. There's a network of trails accessing viewpoints in and around two different valleys.
平山湖大峡谷
黑河湿地公园
Wetland habitat for birds and other wild animals with bird-watching towers.
罗胖子面馆
Gansu-style firecracker noodles and pork plates. The service is a bit gruff and the noodles an acquired taste, but the pork is delicious.
鲜货烤肉
Barbecued meat and vegetables on skewers. Friendly service (though unclear whether any English spoken). It is one of the top-rated places in the city on Dianping and deservedly so.
天润金座酒店
Lovely rooms. A bit older but great value for money.
Jindu Binguan
智选假日酒店
Clean, comfortable, western chain hotel. It's kind of isolated and there is not much within walking distance. The #4 bus has a stop immediately in front of the hotel that can take you to the city center.
张掖宾馆
华辰国际大酒店
By taxi
Both DiDi and taxis are readily available. Taxis will likely be somewhat cheaper than DiDi.
By private car
You can book a private car via a travel agency or at the reception of most hotels, which is especially useful for touring the sites outside the city.
On foot
Zhangye is laid out in the sprawling fashion typical of Chinese cities outside of the south, so be aware that although something may only appear to be a few city blocks away, a single city block may…
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Zhangye (Ganzhou) · Regional · YZY
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