Wulingyuan
Scenic and historic site in Hunan Province, China
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Through UNESCO
The site is situated in Zhangjiajie City and lies about 270 kilometres (170 mi) to the northwest of Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province. The park covers an area of 690 square kilometers (266 square miles). Wulingyuan forms part of the Wuling Mountain Range. The scenic area consists of four national parks, which are the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, and the recently added Yangjiajie Scenic Area. Overall there are over 560 attraction sights to view. The site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
Geology
The quartzite sandstone pillars and the surrounding regions were formed during the Devonian period (400 to 350 million years ago) from a combination of tectonic uplift and water erosion. The highest area in the park is Huang Shi Zhai (黃石寨). It reaches a height of 3,450 feet (1,050 m) and is accessible via cable car or a set of stairs. Another cliff can be accessed by the 326 m (1,070 ft) Bailong Elevator.