CHINA - Destinations & Hotels
Xian
The city of Xian, famous predominantly for being the home of the “Terracotta Warriors’, was the first Chinese city to open up its doors to the old world, not in 1980 under the "Open Door" policy but during the Tang dynasty when Xi'an blossomed as the first stop on the Silk Road. For a period of more than 2000 years, Xi'an has been the capital city for eleven ruling dynasties and along with cities such as Rome and Constantinople was a world leader in culture and trade and played a vital role in bridging the gap between east and west.
The main reason to visit Xian is to see the Terracotta Army – one the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century, discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974 - built to protect the Emperor Qin Shi Huang back in 200BC, whose Mausoleum lies close the warriors. However there is much more to the city than just the warriors.
The city itself is surrounded by an ancient wall, one of the largest and most complete ancient military systems of defence in the world. The Drum Tower and the Bell Tower are also worthy of a visit as are the Shaanxi History museum and Wild Goose Pagodas. The Great Mosque located within the bustling Muslim Quarter is a must see, we try to time your visit here for late afternoon when the streets come alive and the pungent aromas from the street food vendors setting up their stalls for evening trade fill the air.
Population: 6 million
