Xi’an, in Shaanxi Province, was the capital of several dynasties and the eastern end of the Silk Road, and today it holds the Terracotta Army, a Ming city wall you can walk around and a Muslim Quarter with mosques and street food. Most visitors give it two to three days. The army is outside the city, in Lintong district, so plan a morning there.
| Terracotta Army | found 29 March 1974 by villagers digging a well; museum opened 1 October 1979; part of the First Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum, a World Heritage Site since 1987 |
|---|---|
| Emperor’s tomb | main mound about 350 by 345 m and 76 m high; the central burial chamber has never been excavated |
| City wall | begun 1374, finished about 1378; about 13.74 km around, enclosing about 12 km²; national protected site 1961 |
| Big Wild Goose Pagoda | built 652 by the monk Xuanzang for the scriptures he brought from India; seven floors now; World Heritage Site since 2014 |
| Muslim Quarter | Hui community inside the wall; about 32,361 Muslims in 2003; twelve mosques in the quarter |
The Terracotta Army
The Terracotta Army is a set of clay soldiers, chariots and horses found in pits east of the First Qin Emperor’s tomb. Villagers digging a well during a drought found fragments on 29 March 1974, and excavation followed. The figures are close to life size, and their clothing, hair and equipment differ by rank and unit. Pits 1, 2 and 3 are open to visitors, and the museum opened on 1 October 1979. When first uncovered the figures were brightly painted, but the color flaked away within minutes of contact with air, leaving the clay tone you see today. The army is only one of many burial pits at the site, and the tomb itself is much larger: the whole complex covers about 50 square kilometers. Plan three hours at the pits.
Chinese Wikipedia says the central burial chamber has not been actively excavated, and that surveys show an unusual mercury level in the mound, in line with an old account of mercury inside. The chamber is estimated to lie about ten stories below ground. We tell travelers to expect the pits and the museum, not the tomb.
The city wall
The wall around the Ming and Qing city is about 13.74 kilometers around and encloses roughly 12 square kilometers. Work began in 1374 under the first Ming emperor, whose son Zhu Shuang was made Prince of Qin and based in Xi’an, and was largely finished in 1378. The west and south sides were built on the base of the Tang imperial city wall. The lowest course was rammed from lime, earth and glutinous rice paste. Bricks were added to the outer face in 1568. You can walk or cycle the top, which suits late afternoon.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
The monk Xuanzang built the pagoda in 652 in Ci’en Temple to hold the Sanskrit scriptures he brought back from India. It first had five floors, was rebuilt as seven floors under Empress Wu Zetian, and gained its final form by the Five Dynasties. It began to lean under the Kangxi emperor and by 1996 leaned about one meter, and conservation work has reduced it since. It became a national protected site in 1961 and was added to the World Heritage List in 2014 as part of the Silk Roads network.
The Muslim Quarter
The Muslim Quarter lies in the northwest of the old walled city, centered on Huajue Lane and Beiyuanmen. Arab and Persian merchants arrived along the Silk Road from the Tang dynasty, and the Hui community settled around the old mosques. Qing sources speak of seven mosques and thirteen neighborhoods. Today there are twelve mosques in the area. The streets are narrow lanes with food stalls, and the area is crowded in the evening.
Planning Xi’an
Two to three days covers the army, the wall, the pagoda and the quarter. Spring and autumn are generally the most comfortable. Xi’an links with Beijing, Pingyao and Chengdu on a classic China route. See also our China tours.
Planning Xi’an with Absolute Asia Tours
Absolute Asia Tours has planned private trips in Asia since 1989. For Xi’an that means a guide who explains the pits, a driver to Lintong, and a table booked in the Muslim Quarter. We’re rated 4.8 out of 5 across about 900 traveler reviews. See our China tours or tell us your dates.
Sources (read in Chinese, Chinese Wikipedia): 秦始皇陵, 秦始皇兵马俑, 西安城墙, 大雁塔, 回民街. Last checked November 2026.
Xi’an: FAQ
When were the Terracotta Warriors found?
On 29 March 1974, when villagers digging a well in a drought found fragments.
Has the First Emperor’s tomb been opened?
No. The central burial chamber has not been actively excavated.
How long is the Xi’an city wall?
About 13.74 kilometers around, enclosing about 12 square kilometers.
Who built the Big Wild Goose Pagoda?
The monk Xuanzang, in 652, to store scriptures from India.
How many days do you need in Xi’an?
Two to three days.