Have you ever heard of Jiaohe Ruins? It's the world's largest, best-preserved earthen city—and get this—it was carved RIGHT into the loess plateau! 🏜️ Instead of building up, ancient engineers dug down, creating streets, buildings, and watchtowers all from soil.
Loess is basically super-fine silt—tiny bits of soil blown by the wind that pile up over time. In the Chinese mainland's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, locals hollowed out this natural layer to form an entire city. The result? A fortress-like marvel that has stood strong for over 1,600 years. ⏳
Why should you care? First, it's pure Instagram gold—imagine the desert sun casting golden hues on those earthen walls. Second, it's an early example of sustainable design: using local soil meant low carbon footprints way before "eco-friendly" was cool. 🌱
Think about the mud-brick homes in Rajasthan or the earthen temples of Angkor—Jiaohe takes that vibe to the next level with whole neighborhoods and administrative halls carved into the ground. And thanks to the region's dry climate, this sunken city is still remarkably intact.
No time to travel? No problem—try a 360° virtual tour or AR app on your phone and wander its ancient alleyways from anywhere. It's a perfect blend of history, culture, and tech for your next digital escape. ✨
So next time you scroll past travel pics, give Jiaohe Ruins a second look. This earthen metropolis proves that brilliant architecture doesn't need marble or steel—just a bold idea and a lot of soil. Who's adding it to their bucket list? 🙌
Reference(s):
A city carved from earth: The millennial legacy of Jiaohe Ruins
cgtn.com
