Endere, Archaeological site in Niya County, China.

Endere, also called Tanglan City in Chinese records, is a circular walled site in the southern Taklamakan Desert, 20 km west of Andi'er village in Minfeng County. Its rammed-earth wall, 2–3 m thick, has a single 3.4 m wide east-facing gate with two door leaves; the interior diameter is about 200 m, and the densely packed buildings inside are ruined. Cotton bolls, wheat ears and cotton textiles have been collected within the walls.

Endere was a military post and Buddhist centre between Charchan and Niya on the southern Silk Road. Coins show Chinese control from the Han dynasty; it fell to the Tibetans under the Tang. A stele found by Stein records a Tang official's visit in 719. The fort was abandoned in the ninth century when the Endere River changed course.

The site displays varied construction techniques and building styles that reveal how different groups adapted to desert conditions over time. You can observe how these methods changed as new inhabitants arrived in the region.

The location is remote and requires careful planning along with permissions from local authorities before visiting. Bring suitable gear for desert conditions and allow time to explore this sprawling site.

Layers of settlements overlap at the site, documenting continuous occupation by different groups over many centuries. This layering allows researchers to trace how societies and cultures evolved in this region.