Popular Xi'an Attractions
Can't decide how to spend your time in Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi? Start with this list of Xi'an City's most popular attractions to get started planning your trip to Xi'an, China.
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Mount Hua
With the Yellow River to the north and Qinling Mountain Range at the back to the south, Mount Hua (also translated as Mount Huashan) stands in the south of Huayin County, 120 kilometers east of Xi'an, with an altitude of 2,200 meters. It is always known for its precipitousness.There are five peaks of Mount Hua: the Morning Sun Peak, the Lotus Flower Peak, the Jade Lady Peak, the Wild Goose resting Peak and the Cloudy...
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Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses
In March 1974 when several farmers were sinking a well about 1.5 kilometers east of the First Qin Emperor's Mausoleum, they came upon many fragments of terracotta figures. The results of archaeological excavation showed that it was an oblong pit with terracotta warriors and horses. In 1976, two more pits were discovered 20 meters and 25 meters north of the former one respectively. They were then named Pit 1, Pit 2, and...
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Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Situated in Da Ci'en Temple (the Temple of Thanksgiving), about four kilometers south from the urban center of Xian, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is one of the famous Buddhist pagodas in China.Da Ci'en Temple was built in 648 AD by the order of Emperor Li Zhi (the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty), then still a crown prince, in memory of his mother, Empress Wende. The emperor was said to pay homage to the temple twice...
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Huaqing Pool
Huaqing Pool is located about 35 kilometers east of the city of Xi'an. Historically, during the Qin Dynasty, a stone pool was built and was given the name Lishan Tang (Lishan Hot Spring). The site was enlarged into a bigger palace during the Tang Dynasty, and was renamed Hot Spring by Emperor Tai Zong, Li Shimin. Emperor Xuan Zong had a walled palace built around the Lishan Mountain in the year 747. It was known as Huaqin...
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Great Mosque of Xi'an
The Great Mosque of Xi’an is located near the Drum Tower on 30 Huajue Lane of Xi'an city. It is the major spot for the religious activities of over 70, 000 Moslems in Xi'an. It is also an important historical monument in Shaanxi Province. Apart from its Islamic taste and style, this mosque possesses much Chinese tradition in both design and artistic outlook. It assumes the striking features of Chinese pavilions, with...
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Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
The first Qin Emperor (259 BC-210 BC), otherwise known as Emperor Ying Zheng, came to the throne of the Qin State at 13, and seized the helm of the state at 22. By 221 BC, when he was only 39 years old, he had annexed the six rival principalities and established the first feudal empire in Chinese history.In the year 221 BC, after he unified the whole country, Ying Zheng styled himself the First Emperor, in the hope that...
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Xi'an City Wall
At the time when Zhu Yuanzhang captured Huizhou long before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, he was admonished by a hermit named Zhu Sheng, who told him to "build high walls, store abundant provisions and take your time in proclaiming yourself emperor". Zhu Yuanzhang followed his advice. Once the whole country was unified, he sent orders to the local governments to build city walls on a large scale. The...
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Bell Tower
The Bell Tower of Xi'an is a classical building with carved beams and painted rafters. It stands in the downtown area where the North Street, the South Street, the East Street and the West Street meet. It houses a huge bell that was originally used to strike time every morning in ancient times. This is how the tower got its name. Ever since its establishment, it has become the symbol of Xi'an. Now, it is an important...