1. Home
2. China Destinations > Gansu > Gansu Tourism Cities >

Lanzhou, also known as Jincheng (Golden City) in history, is the capital city of Gansu Province. As a famous cultural tourist city in West China, Lanzhou enjoys a long history of over 2200 years. Lanzhou is the transportation and telecommunication center of Gansu Province. Covering an area of 1631.6 square kilometers, it is a hub of the Silk Road Tourism Ring, with Maiji Caves to the east, Bingling Temple Grottoes to the west, Labrang Monastery to the south and Dunhuang Mogao Caves to the north. And it enjoys the name as the Major City of the Silk Road, the Pearl of the Yellow River, the Summer Palace of the West, the Capital of Waterwheels, the City of Melons and Fruits...More

Facts of Lanzhou

Chinese Name:兰州市 （lán zhoū shì）
Area: about 1631.6 square kilometers (about 630 square miles)
Area Code: 0931
Zip code: 730000
Population: 3,616,163

Admistratives of Lanzhou:  The city downtown of Lanhzou comprises five districts: Chengguan, Qilihe, Xigu, Honggu and Anning. Among them, Chengguan District, situated in the eastern part of the city, is the center of politics, economy, culture and transportation. Anning District, in the northwestern part, is the economic development zone as well as the area where most colleges are located.

History of Lanzhou

 At the early period of foundation of the People’s Republic of China, Lanzhou was belonged to Xiahe County of Gannan Tibet Autonomous Prefecture. 1956, the capital of Gannan Tibet Autonomous immigrated from Xiahe to Lanzhou which pushed Lanzhou into a new setup. Lanzhou City was founded formerly in 1998 after approved by the State Council...More

What to see in Lanzhou?

As a famous cultural tourist city in West China, Lanzhou enjoys a long history of over 2200 years. The prehistoric sites represented by the ancient Majiayao, Banshan, Machang, Qijia cultures are widely scattered in Lanzhou. The Silk Road culture, Yellow River culture, Folk culture and Ethnic culture enhance each other’s beauty here, displaying diverse regional cultural features and leaving many cultural and natural sites and historical relics for visitors to explore.

Lanzhou Yellow River Iron Bridge	Yellow River Mother Sculpture	Lanzhou Waterwheel Park
Gansu Provincial Museum	Lanzhou White Pagoda	Liujiaxia Gorge

The 50-kilometre Yellow River Park alongside the river is the biggest open river park in China, attracting more and more tourists both at home and abroad. The city also has scenic spots such as Five Springs Mountain, White Pagoda Mountain, Zhongshan Bridge, Waterwheel Park and the Mother Yellow River Sculpture

When to visit Lanzhou?

Located inland, Lanzhou has a typical temperate, semi-arid continental monsoon climate. It is dry with plenty of sunshine.The annual precipitation is 328 millimeters (12.91 inches), which is concentrated during the summer. So an umbrella and raincoat should be packed in your bag if you plan to visit there at that time.Since it is very dry in Lanzhou, it is suggested to drink lots of water and wear sum protection. The best to visit Lanzhou is from May to October when the temperature is most suitable.

Lanzhou, as the capital of Gansu Province, is one of the most important railway and air traffic centers in west China. It has been formed a fairly advanced transportation network. Lanzhou is accessible by extensive rail and road links that radiate in all directions. Read More: Lanzhou Transportation

In recent years, the “Cultural Lanzhou" has attained remarkable achievements by creating a batch of masterpieces. Tales of the Silk Road has been acclaimed as a Chinese dancing classic in the 20th century and a milestone in China’s dance drama history. The new version of Tales of the Silk Road is listed in the top ten National Theatre Classics, receiving acclaims from all over the world. The Peace Drum are regarded as the First Drum in China as the drummers’ magnificent performance is filled with masculine power and momentum,. With the annual circulation of more than 10 million, the magazine Readers ranks the first in Asia and the fourth in the world.

Lanzhou Travel Tips

1.Useful Numbers:
Telephone number inquiring: 114
Zip code inquiring: 184
Weather Forecast: 121
Tourist Complaint: 0931-8826860

2. Lanzhou Festivals

Visitors interested in the local festivals and who do not mind the climate, go to the city in January, February, July or August for the following events.

Labrang Monastery in Xiahe County holds seven religious festivals annually, with the ones on the first moon and seventh moon being the most famous. The highlight of the 1st moon gathering is the Buddha Unfolding on the 13th day and the Yak Butter Sculpture exhibition on the 15th day. Tourists are welcome at these festivals.

Hua'er Folk Music Festival at Lanhua Mountain, Linxia County is held from the 1st to 6th of the 6th moon every year. Hua'er is a type of folk music. At the Hua'er Festival, Hua'er singers come from the neighboring areas and bring their talent into full play, singing impromptu song after song. This festival is of such importance that all the counties offer tour buses to the Hua'er performances.