PLACE GUIDE

Emin Minaret 苏公塔

Sugong Ta

Emin Minaret, also called Sugong Tower, is an eighteenth-century brick tower beside a mosque near Turpan.

Emin Minaret (Su Gong Ta), Turpan, Xinjiang, photographed in September 2023.
Emin Minaret (Su Gong Ta), Turpan, Xinjiang, photographed in September 2023. · HaziiDozen · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

Proportionally resized and converted to WebP without cropping, retouching or changing the photographed subject.

Explore the region

Xinjiang · 新疆维吾尔自治区 →Turpan · 吐鲁番市 →

About Emin Minaret

Its tapering circular form is covered with repeating geometric patterns created in the brickwork. The adjoining mosque’s timber-supported spaces provide a different sense of scale and material. The tower commemorates Emin Khoja and reflects local building traditions within a wider Islamic architectural language.

Local craftsmen used wood and brick to construct the minaret. Its diameter decreases from more than 14 metres at the base to 2.8 metres at the top. Long, narrow windows face different directions at several heights, admitting light and air. Inside, a spiral supporting structure also forms a staircase of 72 steps. A stone inscription outside records the construction in Chinese and Chagatai.

The adjoining mosque has an enclosed inner prayer hall for colder months and larger outer halls for warmer weather. Tall wooden pillars and beams support the exposed frame of these outer spaces. The complex also includes a burial area and belongs to the third group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位).

What to look for

  • Geometric brick patterns wrap around the tapering tower.
  • The mosque’s timber-supported spaces contrast with the minaret’s masonry.

Background & history

The Emin Minaret or Emin Tower stands by the Uyghur mosque located in Turfan, Xinjiang, China. At 44 meters (144 ft) it is the tallest minaret in China. The minaret is considered the most famous Islamic monument in the county. The Qing Empire conquered this largely Muslim region in the 1750s by defeating the Dzungar Mongols with their superior weaponry in a series of battles. The Uyghurs under Emin Khoja joined the Qing Empire for protection against the Dzungars and the Emin minaret was named after Emin Khoja. The minaret was started in 1777 during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735–1796) and was completed only one year later. It was financed by local leaders and built to honor the exploits of a local Turpan general, Emin Khoja, hence the name "Emin". The Emin Minaret is located along the ancient Silk Route (near the ancient Uyghur capital of Gaochang). Nearby is the site of the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves.

Excerpt from Wikipedia: Emin Minaret · Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected introductory sentences; formatting simplified. Background information, not current visitor-service advice.

Location & getting there

Getting to Emin Minaret

Search Emin Minaret or Sugong Tower in Turpan and use the mosque-and-tower visitor entrance. Check the spaces currently accessible to visitors; do not assume the internal staircase is open for climbing.

General visit reminders

Check the venue’s current entry arrangements and the return connection before travelling.

Combine your visit

Choose from these complementary stops when planning your visit.

  1. Minaret exterior苏公塔外观

    Look at the changing brick patterns around the tower.

  2. Permitted mosque spaces开放清真寺空间

    Compare the timber and masonry forms.

  3. Turpan Museum吐鲁番博物馆

    Add archaeological context on a separate city stop.

This is a suggested combination, not a timed route; confirm the opening and transport arrangements for your date.

Historic sites & architecture · 历史古迹／建筑 →

Find Emin Minaret

苏公塔 · 吐鲁番

Amap · 高德地图Approximate pin · 近似位置Apple Maps · 苹果地图

The pin marks the area, not the entrance.

More places nearby

Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.

Turpan Museum 吐鲁番博物馆

1 km away

Turpan Museum connects the basin’s ancient cities with the objects recovered from them. Written documents and coins reveal administration and trade, while burial displays preserve clothing and other evidence of everyday life. A…

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Grape Valley 葡萄沟

8 km away

Grape Valley is an irrigated corridor beneath the Flaming Mountains northeast of Turpan. Water flowing through the valley supports vineyards that contrast sharply with the dry hills around them. The visitor area combines…

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Jiaohe ruins 交河故城

12 km away

Jiaohe occupies a narrow plateau between two river valleys west of Turpan. The steep natural edges helped protect a city whose streets, residential quarters and Buddhist remains can still be read in the eroded earth. Much of the…

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Sources & visit information

The linked encyclopedia sources support background and place descriptions. Current opening hours, ticket prices, booking rules and transport schedules have not been independently verified for this guide. Confirm them with the venue or operator before travelling.

Geographic and historical facts selectively adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Emin Minaret · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1350785905.

Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "苏公塔", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92548909.

Background paragraphs condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "Emin Minaret", English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1350785905.

China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-10-07