The Kizil Caves, also known as Kizilgaha or Kizilgaha Caves, are a set of Buddhist rock-cut caves located near the Kizil Township in Baicheng County, Xinjiang, China.
The cave complex is associated with the ancient Tocharian rulers of Kucha, a Buddhist kingdom situated along a branch of the Silk Road, tracing the northern border of the present-day Taklamakan Desert within the Tarim Basin, and to the south of the Muzat River.
Kucha was part of the Silk Road economy, and was in contact with the rest of Central Asia, including Sogdiana and Bactria, and thus also with the cultures of India, Iran, and coastal areas of China
There are 236 cave temples that date from the 3rd to 8th century AD, carved into a cliff face stretching over a length of 2 km’s. The caves contain a wide range of architectural styles and sizes, with the earlier caves adopting more Indian and Central Asian designs, while later caves feature Chinese architectural influences.