Top 10 attractions in Xian

Xi’an is a city with well-developed tourist industry. There are 72 mausoleums of emperors and more than 700 ancient buildings. Among the attractions, 6 are listed into the World Heritage List. They are Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Big Goose Pagoda, Small Goose Pagoda, Daming Palace Heritage Park, the Relics of Weiyang Palace and Tower in Xingjiao Temple.

Terracotta Warriors and Horses is called “the eighth wonder of the world” and it is located in Lintong district, 37 km from Xi’an city center. It is a part of the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. There are three pits, with a lot of terracotta warriors, horses, carriages and weapons in. So, it is the most important thing to visit Terracotta Warriors in Xian.

Huaqing Hot Spring is also located in Lintong District. Its hot spring has been used for 6000 years, and as a royal garden, it has a history of more than 3000 years. Now, the scenic spot is divided into 3 parts: bathing area, garden area and relic protection area.

The Ancient City Wall separates Xi’an into inner and outer parts, with a total circumstance of 13.74 km. It was for military defense in the past. There are 4 doors and 8 boarding sites, so visitors can board on the nearest sites. Cycling on the wall is a good choice.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a symbol of Xi’an. It is built for storing Buddhist articles from India. It is in the Da Ci’en Temple. It has seven floors, with a height of 64.5 meters. Today, its statue as a Buddhist tower has fallen and it is seen more as a famous ancient building.

Small Wild Goose pagoda is a 13-floor-buliding, with a height of 43.4 meters. As a relic in Silk Road, it was listed into the list of world heritage in 2014. It is called small wild goose pagoda because its scale is smaller than the big counterpart and its building time is later.

Bell Tower was built in 1384 and it is located in city center. It is called Bell Tower because there is a bell in the tower. It is 36 meters in height, covering an area of 1337 square kilometers. The Drum Tower is built in 1380, four years before that of Bell Tower, but with the same height and space. Obviously, there is a drum on the tower and the two building is not far.

Shaanxi History Museum is a national museum, which was opened in 1991, covering an area of 8,000 square meters. There are 370,000 pieces of cultural relics, ranging from simple stone instruments in ancient times to artifacts in 1840, with a time span of 1000,000 years. The typical kinds are bronze wares, Tomb Frescoes of Tang Dynasty, terracotta figurines, building materials, bronze mirrors, gold, silver and jade artifacts, currencies and so on.

The Muslim Quarter is adjacent to the Drum Tower and it is the famous quarter of delicious food and ethnic culture. It is a must-go place for food lovers. It is consisted of several streets, with more than 300 local flavors. The Great Mosque is also in the quarter.

The Great Mosque is an Islamic temple with intense religious atmosphere. It is built in 742 and it is one of the two oldest mosques in China. It is 50 meters from south to north and 4,000 meters from east to west. 1000 people can worship at the same time in the mosque. Moreover, it is not only a place for muslims, but also a place for Arabic leaders reception.

The musical fountain in the north square of Big Goose Pagoda is a place with distinct attraction. It is the only one in Asia with such a big scale. It is consisted of 3 parts, with the most attractive one in the outer layer. Moreover, the public facilities in the square is so good and the atmosphere is so beautiful, visitors can enjoy themselves totally in the scenic apot.