Fujian Tulou
China ·
Description
Scattered across the mountains of Fujian, 46 tulou built between the 15th and 20th centuries form walled villages in single buildings. Made of rammed earth up to 1.8 m thick, these circular or square fortresses housed up to 800 people and were entered through a single gate. When the CIA first saw satellite photos during the Cold War, they mistook them for nuclear missile silos.
Why It's a World Heritage Site
UNESCO recognized the Fujian Tulou as exceptional examples of a building tradition and function exemplifying a particular type of communal living and defensive organization, in a harmonious relationship with their environment.
UNESCO Criteria
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, several tulou in Tianluokeng and Hongkeng clusters offer simple guesthouse rooms.
High-speed train to Xiamen, then 2-3 hours by car or tour bus to the main clusters.
Tianluokeng for photos, Chuxi for authenticity, Yongding’s Zhencheng Lou for grandeur.
A Han Chinese subgroup who migrated south over centuries and built fortified clan dwellings for protection.
Yes, many tulou still house Hakka families who have lived there for generations.