Top 05 Must-See Historical Sites of Xi’an – Witness these marvellous sites to be inspired!

Considered the eighth wonder of the world, the Terra Cotta Warriors were a monumental archaeological discovery made by chance by a few peasants in 1974 when they were digging a well in Shaanxi province. Their alertness in noticing the fragments of a clay figure led to unearthing a wealth of archaeological treasures close to the unexcavated tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi who had proclaimed himself the first emperor of China in 221 BC. This site was in proximity to his ancient capital and an entire army of life-sized terra cotta soldiers, horses, chariots, and animals were retrieved making this site a major tourist attraction admired by most visitors staying at hotels in Xian.

Erected in 652 at the Da Ci’en Temple complex just outside of the Xi’an city wall to the north, this large pagoda with 5 tiers was made during the Tang Dynasty. Later it was enhanced with 03 more tiers making it a huge 8-tiered pagoda. However, in the 16th century the upper part was destroyed due to an earthquake and 7 tiers remain at present. Buddhist statues, body relics of arhats, and Buddhist texts in Sanskrit were enshrined within the pagoda making the pagoda an inviting historical site for visitors such as those using hotels in Xian like Grand Park Xian. These visitors not only appreciate the historical value but also admire the features of Buddhist architecture, as the pagoda is styled as a squire pyramid with symmetry and varying proportions showcased beautifully.

This is a remarkable city wall as it has been standing firm for over 6 centuries and is the only surviving city wall in modern-day China. The fortifications are so detailed and numerous that it is astounding. Built with a height of 12 m and 15-18 m in width, it was created to protect the Ming Dynasty. Originally made with earth and rice fibrin along with burnt lime, the wall was fortified later with bricks and fitted with a drainage system. 4 main entrances, one for each cardinal direction were created and each of them had 3 towers, connected by tunnels and passageways and more features of fortification whilst a moat existed on the periphery of the wall. At present visitors enter from the southern gate and spend many hours walking on the City Wall, doing bicycle rides and even Chinese rickshaw rides plus enjoying the fantastic view.

These two symbolic towers are at the centre of ancient Xi’an city which is at present the bustling commercial district of Xi’an. If you happen to visit these in the evening you can admire them beautifully lit up. The two towers complemented each other by keeping time with the city dwellers in the past, with the Bell Tower starting the bell and chimes at 7.00 p.m. and thereafter every two hours the drums were beaten once to mark the time. This was to inculcate observing time and getting back home once the day's work is done. Today the towers are museums showcasing the rich history of Xi’an.

Being the imperial capital for 13 centuries Shaanxi Province was notably a well-developed area not only confined to China but in the world. These periods witnessed palaces and temples built, craft, art, and science marching forward in Shaanxi and communities progressing. All historical artefacts and exhibits at this museum speak volumes of the exciting periods Xi’an have been through. Admire these in the museum complex with a central building and 4 others around it. Located in Xi’an close to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, this museum boasts over 370,000 exhibits worth seeing including artefacts, jewellery, sculptures, weapons, costumes, etc