The Kazanchi district in western Yining is the most distinctive neighbourhood in the city: streets of blue-painted wooden houses from the Russian and Soviet periods, built by the Taranchis, Dungans, and Russians who settled here when the Ili Valley had close connections with Soviet Central Asia across the border. The architecture is a clear departure from both Chinese and standard Uyghur building styles — the wooden facades, painted shutters, and courtyard gardens belong to a specifically Central Asian Russian tradition that survives in Almaty and Bishkek but is rare in China.
Walking the main streets of Kazanchi takes about an hour, with time to look through the gates at the courtyard gardens and observe the mix of populations — Kazakh, Uyghur, Hui, Han, and the occasional Russian or Dungan face — that makes this corner of Xinjiang unusual. The neighbourhood has been partially renovated and is now a designated heritage area, which has preserved some buildings and made others more self-conscious; the side streets that haven't been touched are the most interesting.
The wooden buildings are most attractive in the afternoon light, which brings out the blue paint and the carved woodwork of the eaves. Several tea houses and small restaurants operate in the district, serving Kazakh bread and lamb dishes alongside more standard Chinese options.