Altstadt Shangri-La

Dukezong Old Town — the historic Tibetan quarter of Shangri-La — is a compact maze of stone-paved lanes, whitewashed houses with carved wooden eaves, and Tibetan-style teahouses, sitting at 3,300 metres in northwest Yunnan. The old town is centred on Guishan Hill, where the world's largest hand-turned prayer wheel, gilded and 21 tonnes in weight, is turned each morning by residents as an act of collective devotion. In January 2014 a catastrophic fire destroyed 242 buildings in the old town's commercial core, wiping out almost two-thirds of the UNESCO-listed area; the district has since been partly rebuilt in traditional Tibetan style. The outer residential quarters were largely spared and retain their original character. The old town remains a vibrant social hub, with rooftop bars, yak-butter tea shops, and evenings of circle dancing (Guozhuang) in the main square when locals and visitors join hands in a form of Tibetan community celebration.