10 essential things to do in Xian, the city of Terracotta

When plan a tourist trip to China, Xian city must be a essential stage Well, there awaits you one of the most surprising and wonderful places you can see in the world, the excavations of the Terracotta warriors.

But the best thing about Xian is that it has much more to see.

Visit Xian will allow you to travel to the past eras of the great Chinese empire, since you will see a city that is still preserved from the wave of modernity that is transforming other cities like Shanghai y Pekin.

Capital of the province of Shaanxi, Xian It is currently a medium-sized city on the scale of a country as populous as China.

Xian It has just over three million inhabitants, although in the entire municipality it reaches eight million.

Along the history Xian has been a political center of the Imperial china, since with different names it was the capital of different imperial dynasties, and it is also one of the enclaves of the historical Silk Road.

From the tourist point of view, the discovery in 1974 of the excavations of the Terracotta warriors has led to Xian to become a key tourist destination in China and the excuse that took us there.

However, when you get to Xian, you find a very populous city, with chaotic traffic and where super-modern buildings are still an exception.

Here you can still see an indigenous Chinese city that will follow the path of other cities towards modernization, and that over time, when we return to visit it, we will see it completely transformed.

For your tourist visit to Xian, we are going to detail the main places you find so that you can plan your own visit.

If you prefer, you can sign up for the visit of Xian and the Terracotta Warriors in a private group with your family or friends with guide in Spanish, which will take you an eight-hour day.

Terracotta Warriors Excavations

Of course, the main visit you should do in Xian are

In this enclave close to the city you will be able to see the graves that have been discovered so far, but above all you will get an idea of ​​the incredible dimensions of said “army”.

You will walk through the different graves, 1 being the largest, but it is also interesting to see the other graves that make up this archaeological enclave.

There you will also visit a museum where outstanding terracotta figures are displayed, some of them that maintain part of the original painting, as well as objects found in excavations.

Also worth highlighting are the surprising bronze chariots that have been restored. Here we leave you two very complete articles about the warriors of Xian

• These are excavations of the incredible army of Terracotta Warriors
• Curiosities history of the Terracotta Warriors of Xian

But Xian You can also do other visits or tourist activities that reflect the importance that this city has had in the history of China.

Xian medieval wall

Addition Terracotta Warriors Army, the historical Xian city It offers other attractions for those of us who visit it.

La ancient city wall It is a highly recommended visit in your trip to Xian, as a complement to the visit to the archaeological site of the famous warriors.

Maybe you don't know that Xian Wall It is the largest interior wall there is in a china town.

Almost 14 kilometers long and square in shape, the wall completely surrounds the space occupied by the ancient city of Xian.

When you arrive in front of the wall, I can tell you that you will be impressed by its enormous dimensions. It has a height of 12 meters and at its highest part, a width of between 12 and 14 meters. In this way, do not be surprised that when you reach the top of the wall by the wide stairs of, for example, the south door that opens in the wall, you get the feeling that you are facing a road.

The reason why Xian Wall It was built so wide that soldiers could move through it without problems on horseback.

La Xian Wall It was ordered to be built in the 14th century by the emperor Zhu Yuanzhang for the ming dynasty, following the advice of an advisor that each city he conquered should be protected from future attacks by a great wall.

And so he did, expanding and strengthening the ancient wall of Xian, built during the previous dynasty. Pliers.

As a curiosity, every 120 meters of the wall (the distance of an arrow) a defensive tower was placed. And along the wall only four doors open, each one on one side of the square (north, south, east and west) in which three buildings are arranged.

La Xian Wall It is one of the oldest defensive structures that currently exists in the world.

Defensive gates of the Xian Wall

Given the enormous robustness of the Xian ancient city wall, with the weapons of medieval times it was impossible to attack the wall. Its only weak area was the access gates to the city.

On our tour of the Xian Wall, the most recommended, by bicycle or electric vehicle, we have the possibility of visiting the four gateways to the city of Xian that open under its robust wall.

Known by Chinese names meaning “Eternal Joy” at the east gate, “Harmonious Peace” at the west gate, “Harmonious Peace” at the south gate, and “Joy Forever” at the north gate. the most interesting to visit is the south door.

There we can see the complexity of your design. Initially, there is an exterior building under which the first door opens from which, in its time, the suspension bridge was suspended, allowing access to an interior patio. From this you access the city through a new gate, flanked by defensive towers where soldiers were placed to defend against possible attacks.

In our visit to the south gate of the Xian Wall We find an exhibition of medieval military weapons used for the defense of the city. Likewise, we can see the complexity of the city's defensive structure.

Rent bikes on the Xian Wall

For visit the Xian Wall, the recommendable es rent a bike in order to be able to explore all (or part) of the walled area. He price The bicycle rental fee will be about 20 yuan (a little more than two euros) for an hour and a half of use, and 40 yuan if we want to rent a tandem.

Another option you have to get around the wall is to use the small service. Power Plants that will take you through the most prominent areas of the wall.

Xian Bell Tower

Inside the great Xian walled enclosure, there is a monument that clearly catches our attention. I mean the Bell Tower.

If on our visit to this historical city of china, which has achieved worldwide fame for its excavations of the Terracotta Warriors Army, before entering the ancient city we decided to climb its enormous wall, from this, if we look towards the center of the city, we can see the Bell Tower.

La Xian Bell Tower It is a building with traditional Chinese design, made of wood, with a height of 36 meters. It was built during the Ming dynasty, in year 1384 , and stood next to the Drum Tower, in the same geographical center of the city.

Two stories high and a roof with three levels of eaves, the objective when building this tower was to monitor the surroundings of the city to warn of possible attacks. But the city of Xian was spreading, and with the purpose of continuing to occupy the geographic center of the city, in the year 1582 it was decided to relocate a few thousand meters further east of its original location.

Except for its base, a rectangular structure built of bricks 35 meters long on each side and 9 meters high, all the rest of the Bell Tower It is the same wooden structure as the original tower built in the 14th century.

Originally, in the northwestern part of the Xian Bell Tower a historic bell was located, the so-called Jingyun Bell, from the Tang dynasty, but currently a smaller bell remains in the tower, weighing less than five tons. The aforementioned Jingyun bell can currently be seen in the Xian Stone Forest Museum.

La Bell Tower We can see it from any of the four main doors of the Xian Wall, in the center of the large avenues that serve as the axis of the city.

Although an arch opens under the tower through which cars crossed in the past, now the tower has remained isolated in the central area of ​​the square and to visit it you have to access under an underground that crosses the square's road, where there is heavy traffic.

Buddhist temple Da Ci´en Xian

On your tourist trip to China you will surely have the opportunity to visit several Buddhist temples.

You should know that in Xian you find one of the most interesting, the Da Ci´en Temple, whose greatest interest is in the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, a large building 64 meters high and seven levels, which dates back to the year 652.

The aforementioned temple is a large complex of religious buildings surrounded by lush and beautiful gardens.

Among them stand out their Bell and Drum Towers, but especially the aforementioned pagoda.

At the entrance to the Temple of Grace Da Ci'en, we see a sculpture of monk Xuanzhuang, who was the driving force behind the construction of the temple and the Great Wild Goose Pagoda.

El Chinese monk Xuanzhuang She traveled to India for 16 years, and upon returning to China she fascinated Emperor Taizong with her stories, so that in the year 648 he ordered the construction of the Da Ci'en Temple to commemorate the death of the queen.

After entering the temple precinct, after passing by two large sculptures of lions that protect the entrance, we find two small buildings on both sides of the road, the Bell Tower and Drum Tower.

The Bell Tower has inside a huge bell weighing 15 tons, built in 1548, during the Ming dynasty. The existence of this Bell Tower, like that of the Drum Tower, so common in China, is due to the custom in Buddhist temples of ringing the bell in the morning and ringing the drum in the afternoon.

As we advance through the garden area of ​​the Da Ci'en Temple of Xian, we are already in front of the impressive building of the Great Wild Goose Pagoda. And behind it are several hall-type buildings.

In these halls (Mahavira, Sermon, Xuanzang Sanzang) we find several Buddhist statues and figures, as well as decoration of great beauty. In the Hall of Xuanzang Sanzang there are the relics of monk Xuanzang and a sculpture of him in a sitting position.

Great Goose Pagoda Temple

Within the Da Ci'en Buddhist Temple complex, is the Great Wild Goose Pagoda which is the characteristic multi-level Buddhist religious building so common in Asian countries.

Built in the year 652 During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty, it was intended to be a warehouse to store different Buddhist items and products that were brought from India.

The initial Buddhist pagoda had a height of 54 meters and five levels, but later various reconstructions were made and, today, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda has a Height of 64 meters and seven levels.

Its brick structure makes this pagoda a very solid building and has become one of the masterpieces of Buddhist architecture.

Visitors can climb to the top of the Great Wild Goose Pagoda through the internal circular staircase (price of the entrance, 30 yuan / 3 euros), which will allow us to have the best views of the city of Xian, which still maintains the traditional structure of Chinese cities.

Xian Muslim Quarter

The Muslim neighborhood of Xian is where historically the Hui community, which professes Islam.

They are descendants of immigrants of Muslim origin who have continued to maintain Muslim customs with streets with a great atmosphere, market type, with numerous stores where we can buy everything from clothing and imitations, to crafts and souvenirs.

To do shopping and experiencing the night of XianIt is definitely a place to visit.

Drum Tower

Although the geographical center of the Xian ancient city is Bell Tower, In the same square, to the northwest of it, is the Drum Tower, right at the entrance to the Muslim Quarter.

La Xian Drum Tower It has similar characteristics to the Bell Tower. It is a traditional Chinese building, built in 1380, during the Ming dynasty.

In ancient China, drum towers served the function of indicating the passing of the hours during the day and were also used to warn of emergency situations.

Subsequently, the Drum Tower It was rebuilt twice during the Qing dynasty, in 1699 and 1740.

La Drum Tower It is located on a stone platform, on which rises a two-story wooden building with a total height of 34 meters, similar to the height of the Bell Tower. On the lower stone platform, which has a length of 53 meters, two doors six meters wide open.

In our visit to the Drum Tower of Xian We can go up to the second floor, from where we will have the best views of the nearby Bell Tower, and in the background, we will see the entrance doors in the Ancient city wall.

Inside we will find 24 traditional Chinese drums, a reflection of the solar calendar used in ancient China. To these drums, not long ago, in 1994, a big drum, which is currently the largest in China.

Every day at the Xian Drum Tower there is a display by playing the drum set.

Great Mosque in Muslim Quarter, mix of Chinese and Muslim architecture

An outstanding visit in the Muslim Quarter de Xian is Grand mosque, a building built in the year 732, which is a mix of Chinese and Muslim architecture. It is one of the oldest and best maintained mosques in China.

La Great Mosque of Xian It is located northwest of the Drum Tower, on Huajue Street, within the center Muslim Quarter. It occupies 12.000 square meters spread over four patios, with a total length of 250 meters.

Its origin lies in the arrival in China during the 7th century of merchants and travelers from Persia and Afghanistan, during the Tang dynasty.

In the four patios for the Great Mosque of the Muslim Quarter We will find a mix of buildings and garden areas. In the first of the patios there is a large wooden arch nine meters high, and in the second patio, in the center of its garden area, there appears a large stone arch.

The characteristic prayer tower of the mosques, called Xingxin, is located in the third patio. And in the fourth patio is the largest of the halls of the Great Mosque of Xian, with the capacity to accommodate up to a thousand people to make their prayers.

El Visiting hours to Great Mosque of the Muslim Quarter of Xian It is from 8 in the morning to 19:30 p.m., although non-Muslims cannot access the Great Prayer Hall, not even during prayer hours.

Shopping and eating in the Muslim Quarter

Su street main is Huimin Jie, a tree-lined street about 500 meters long along which, in addition to the stalls, we can see various historical buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

But if we want to buy crafts or antiques, we should go to the alley called Huajue XiangLocated next to the Great Mosque of the Muslim Quarter of Xian.

There you can find ceramics, jade and bronze objects, paintings made by peasants and, of course, reproductions of terracotta warrior figures.

Of course, we must not forget that in the Muslim Quarter we will also have to haggle. As in all markets in China, at the outset they will ask us for an exorbitant price (for the standard of living in China, of course) and we will have to haggle until we buy for a price that, at most, is a third of the initial offer.

But the Muslim Quarter is also a ideal area to eat, as it is full of restaurants and food stalls, where we can eat the typical Chinese skewers, but with Muslim style and reminiscences. From what travelers who have tried them say, a curious mix between Chinese and Muslim food.

In short, a must-see if we have time, where you can experience an atmosphere similar to that of the Arab souks.

Stone Stele Forest Museum in Xian, Chinese calligraphy on ancient stones

If you are interested in the traditions of China, and specifically its calligraphy tradition, you can make a curious visit in your trip to Xian: The Beilin Museum, better known as the Stone Stele Forest.

At Xian Confucius Temple It houses up to 3.000 large stones, called stelae, which are characterized by their ancient calligraphic inscriptions.

The headquarters of the Xian Stone Stele Forest Museum, Time of Confucius, was built in the 11th century to store and preserve two groups of stelae known as the Thirty Classical Principles, with inscriptions made during the Tang dynasty, in the 7th and 8th centuries.

Over time, new stone steles made during later Chinese dynasties were kept in the Temple of Confucius, to the point that the Xian Confucius Temple It is the place where the most steles are preserved in all of China. Hence recently the Beilin Museum was renamed Stone Stele Forest.

The museum is distributed in seven rooms, where calligraphy and paintings are also exhibited along with the steles. In one of the museum rooms are exhibited twelve classic texts of Confucius, inscribed in their day on 114 large stones for their preservation over time.

El Stone Stele Forest Museum You will find it on Sanxue Street, near the South Gate of the Xian ancient city wall.

Mount Huashan, the dangerous route of China's sacred mountain

And if you want some adventure, near Xian you can climb the steep paths of the Mount Huashan, one of the sacred mountains of China.

It is a very popular place for Chinese tourists, which will require one or two days to visit, depending on whether or not you use a funicular to save time on the ascent.

Of course, I warn you that this mountain has earned fame as the most dangerous trail in the world due to the enormous risk that is run in certain sections of it.

In short, Xian should be an essential stop on your tourist trip to China and here I leave you an article for you to see.

• Mount Huashan, how to climb the dangerous route of China's sacred mountain

Zuque Antique Market, the best antique market in Xian

If in your Trip to china, are you interested in visiting some antique market, in Xian you will find one of the most famous, known as Xian Antique Market, which is another interesting alternative to Muslim Quarter to go shopping on our visit to Xian.

Located very close to the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian Antique Market You will find it at the confluence of Zhuque Lu and Nan Erhuan Lu streets, south of the city's second ring road.

Also know as Zuque Antique Market, this Xian antiques market occupies several blocks where there are dozens of generally specialized stores. In fact, you can find everything from collectible coins to large antique furniture.

In this Xian flea market, which opens from 9 a.m. to 17 p.m., you can also find pieces of Chinese porcelain, paintings and engravings, bronze decorative elements, and ceramics from the Tang dynasty. In short, the wide variety of handicraft products characteristic of China.

Of course, if what you're really looking for is a real antique, you'll want to be wary of fakes. In any case, it is an ideal place to purchase this type of handmade products as souvenirs, in many cases at good prices.

Terracotta Warriors Xian Spanish Tour

If you prefer, to make the most important visit to Xian, you can sign up for a private tour in Spanish of the Terracotta Warriors.

On this guided tour you will be picked up at the hotel and with the company of a Spanish-speaking guide for five hours you will make the complete visit of the Terracotta Warriors excavations in Xian.

You can also sign up for private tour to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Xian.

This is a combined visit lasting 8 hours in which, together with a guide in Spanish, in addition to the famous excavations you will visit the most notable places in the city of Xian.

Among them, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, the old one Xian wall, Bell tower and Muslim neighborhood with its Grand mosque.