Zhangjiajie, a city in the northwest of China's Hunan province, is home to the famed Wulingyuan Scenic Area. This protected zone encompasses thousands of jagged quartzite sandstone columns, many of which rise over 200m, as well as caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites. The third observatory in China was established at the entrance of the National Park of Zhangjiajie in the Hunan province, China. The park is the first national forest park in China, receiving up to 40 000 visitors a day during high season. Tourism is the main sector in the area, and the focus of the Zhangjiajie Observatory is tourism for regional development.