Emin Minaret, Minaret in Turpan, China

The Emin Minaret is a tower built with wood and brick that stands 44 meters tall with a tapered circular form and a base wider than 14 meters. Inside, a spiral staircase of 72 steps leads upward to several observation points where narrow windows frame views outward.

Construction began in 1777 under the Qianlong Emperor and was finished about a year later, financed by local leaders and named for Emin Khoja, the Turpan noble who had sided with the Qing against the Dzungars. A stele at the gate, inscribed in Chinese and Chagatai, records the building of the tower and mosque at a cost of 7,000 taels of silver. Some scholars read the Chagatai date as 1767 and argue Emin Khoja's son Sulaiman completed it after his father's death in 1777.

The carved geometric patterns on yellow bricks show how Chinese and Islamic building traditions came together in this region. You can see these details up close as you move through the interior.

The climb through the narrow spiral staircase is physically demanding and requires good balance, especially toward the upper sections. Wear comfortable shoes and allow time to enjoy the ascent and appreciate the viewing points along the way.

The tower has no foundation and no timber frame: its weight rests entirely on a central brick column, with the 72 steps of the spiral stair built jointly from that column and the outer wall. Each step is edged with wood to limit wear. The exterior bricks are carved into more than ten geometric patterns, including triangles, waves and rhombuses.