Horse Hoof Temple

Visitor information

Also known as

马蹄寺石窟群

City

Zhangye

Coordinates

38.4841502, 100.4173505

About Horse Hoof Temple

The Matisi Grottoes are located in the Matisi Scenic Tourist Area, Matisi Tibetan Township, Sunan Yugu Autonomous County, Zhangye City, Gansu Province. The grottoes were excavated during the Northern Liang Period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, and were named after the legendary King Gesar's "divine footprints" on the rocks inside the temple. The Matisi Grottoes complex consists of Shengguo Temple, Puguang Temple, Thousand Buddha Cave, Jinta Temple and the Upper, Middle and Lower Guanyin Cave, with a total of more than 70 cave niches. There are more than 30 caves in each grotto, while the Jinta Temple has only 2 caves. The cliffs where these cave niches are located are mostly made of red sandstone. The stone structure is rough and easy to weather. Therefore, except for a few stone sculptures, most of the statues in the caves are clay sculptures.

Photos

More attractions in Zhangye

• Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park (Rainbow Mountains) — 5A
• Zhangye Seven-Color Danxia — 5A
• Dafo Temple (Zhangye) — 4A
• Zhangye Wulan Ancient Town Tourism Area — 4A
• Zhangye National Desert Sports Park — 4A
• Zhangye National Wetland Park — 4A
• Gaotai Dahuwan Cultural Tourism Tourism Area — 4A
• Gaotai Memorial Hall of the West Route Army of the Red Army — 4A

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