Xian - The Ancient Capital Of China With Its Terracotta Army

Say Xian and you talk about the terracotta warriors. The army of 8,099 life-size soldiers and horses is one of the most impressive tourist attractions in the world. But the ancient capital of China has more to offer.

Ancient capital? Yes, Xian (also Xi'an and in the past known as Chang'an) was the Empire's main city from the 11th century BC to the early 10th century AD. A total of 73 emperors ruled China from here. Located between rivers and mountains in the southern part of Central China's Guanzhong Plain, it was also the eastern starting-point of the famous Silk Road that connected the Far East with Europe. An historically important city, in other words, and luckily much of its historical and cultural heritage has been preserved.

Notwithstanding the glorious past Xian is a modern city and Central China's largest industrial center. It is believed Xian was the world's first city with a population over 1 million. Now 8 million live here.

The tourist industry has quickly developed in recent years and you can now find hotel rooms for any budget. Many eateries still offer Chinese cuisine, but fast food restaurants have become serious competitors and are popular amoung young people. There's so much to see in this ancient capital that I can't list it all here, so let's just mention a few highlights:

The city wall

The oldest part of Xian, dominated by a huge bell tower, is surrounded by an ancient city wall with gates at the eastern, western, southern and northern side. It's pretty wide and an attraction in itself: you can hire a bike to ride on it! But you can also walk, on the wall and around it. The wall's illuminated at night - you've got to see that!

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

This is the city's symbol. This seventh century pagoda (64 m high) is found at Ci'en Temple and offers a great view.

Great Mosque of Xian

One of China's oldest mosques was built 685-762 at the eastern end of the Silk Road. There are still 60,000 Muslims in the city who use this mosque as their place of worship. It's subdivided into four courtyards and renowned for its beautiful art work.

Terracotta army

The terracotta warriors were discovered in vaults in 1974 and are now called the Eighth World Wonder. They have their own museum with a floor space of 20,000 square meters. Go and see the army. Standing face to face with the warriors is a mind-blowing experience!

If you have the time, this is the third city in China (next to Beijing and Shanghai) you must see!