Architecture in Qikou

The significance of the site stems from the architectural ingenuity used to integrate a challenging terrain with traditional Chinese architectural forms to support the economic life of the community. The result is a dramatic landscape of buildings and nature composed of a series of cave-dwellings in a traditional townscape with satellite villages.

The main street runs parallel to the Yellow River and the Qiushui River; 13 lanes connect with it at right angles. Many shops stand along the streets, normally 5 or 6 meters above the river bank, and have enclosing walls for safety. Most of the families in Qikou live in the architectural style most typical of the Loess Plateau: cave dwellings with courtyards before them. On steeper slopes there are up to six layers of cave dwellings -- a spectacular sight.

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