- Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Army
- Xi'an landmarks
- Religious buildings
- The most dangerous hiking trail in the world
- Note to shopaholics
- Delicious points on the map
Despite the status of a city of sub-provincial importance, Xi'an is known throughout the world for its rich cultural past and long history. It appeared more than 3000 years ago and at one time was even considered the largest on the planet. Here 13 dynasties of the Celestial Empire succeeded each other, the rulers of which are buried in burial mounds and mausoleums in the city's environs. In Xi'an, trade caravans began their journey, delivering valuable goods from China along the Great Silk Road.
For a tourist interested in history, there is a great variety of addresses where to go in Xi'an. Fans of Chinese arts, local food and shopping will not be bored either: Xi'an has prepared for its guests many exciting and enjoyable ways to spend their free time on the trip.
Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Army
During the existence of the city, thirteen dynasties have replaced each other in it. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, died in the 3rd century. BC NS. and his name is forever inscribed in the history of the Celestial Empire. The Qin Dynasty Emperor ended the Warring States era, and the war, which lasted more than two centuries, was stopped under him. The Shihuadi Tomb is known all over the world and is called the main attraction of Xi'an.
In the 70s of the last century, it was discovered quite by accident and since then the terracotta army has attracted millions of tourists every year. In total, no less than seven thousand sculptural images have been excavated - soldiers, horses, military equipment. The faces of the warriors have individual features, and the surface of the statues made of baked clay keeps traces of paint.
Tourists can get to the museum, where the Terracotta Army is exhibited, both independently and as part of a group. Tours can be bought at any travel agency.
Xi'an landmarks
The historical part of the city was planned in antiquity and consisted of a grid of streets intersecting at right angles. The rectangle was surrounded by a stone wall, which was designed to protect the inhabitants from enemy claims. Its height is about 12 m, and its width is 15 m. You can ride a bicycle on the wall on the wall.
Inside the wall, the most important Xi'an sights have survived to this day:
- The bell tower in the very center of the historical part of the city greets you every morning with a bell ringing. It was built in the XIV century. in the Ming era, but two hundred years later they were demolished and re-installed. During its existence, the building served as a telephone exchange, planetarium, observatory and even a prison. The square stone base of the tower has an area of almost one and a half hectares, and the height of the entire structure is 36 m. The iron bell, marking the arrival of a new day, was cast in the Ming dynasty.
- The second city symbol announces the beginning of the morning with a drumbeat from the times of the same Ming. The Drum Tower was built of wood; a drum museum is open in its interior. Some of the exhibits are over a thousand years old. There is a colorful and noisy drum show every day in the tower, and from its roof you can look at Xi'an.
The exposition of the Museum of Stelae, which contains an extensive collection of stone slabs erected in the city in different periods of the ancient and medieval history of the Celestial Empire, can also become interesting for a tourist. Monuments of the Tang dynasty, which ruled China in the 7th-10th centuries, are considered especially valuable steles. In the collection of rarities you will find reliefs of the mausoleum of the emperors and the Nestorian stele of the 8th century, called the oldest evidence of the spread of Christianity in China.
Religious buildings
The most beautiful names of places and buildings are a characteristic feature of the Celestial Empire. Religious buildings, in this sense, are especially poetic. For example, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, built in Xi'an in the middle of the 7th century. During this era, the city was the capital of the Tang Empire, known for its progressive politics. One of the scholars of the Xuanzang Empire traveled extensively, and the result of his geographical and philosophical research was translations into Chinese of hundreds of texts in Sanskrit. Xuanzang brought many Buddhist relics to Xi'an that adorned the constructed pagoda. Today the tower consists of seven tiers and rises 64 meters above Xi'an.
At the time when Xi'an was at the top of the ranking of the most populated cities on Earth, another iconic relic was built. Thousands of tourists come to see the Small Wild Goose Pagoda every day. The tower was built of bricks and in the VIII century. it housed Buddhist manuscripts and treatises. The building is considered especially sacred due to its earthquake resistance. There is a park around the pagoda, where it is pleasant to walk and relax on a hot summer day.
Xi'an Qingzhen Dasa is also on the list of the largest mosques in the Middle Kingdom. Xi'an Cathedral Mosque appeared in the XIV century. According to some reports, it was built by visiting Arabs, according to others, a prayer house was built at the expense of the navigator Zheng He, who led the seven largest military-trade expeditions during the Ming dynasty. In the project of the mosque, both Islamic architectural features and the traditional style of religious buildings of the Middle Kingdom are guessed: for example, the Chinese pavilion serves as a minaret in Xi'an Qingzhen Dasi.
The Monastery of Incoming Good is one of the oldest in the country. It was founded in the 3rd century, and during its existence, the monastery gave rise to a whole network of Buddhist religious buildings. Dasingshan Si served as a center for the spread of Indian Tantric Buddhism, and its monks were engaged in translating Indian treatises. In the middle of the last century, the monastery was reconstructed. In the monastery you can see one of its main relics - a statue of Buddha, carved from wood and dating back to the Song era (X-XIII centuries).
The most dangerous hiking trail in the world
In the suburbs of Xi'an, there is the famous Huangshan Mountain Pedestrian Path, which is called the most dangerous known in the world. The mountain has been considered sacred for more than two millennia, a Taoist temple was built at its foot, and the ascent to each of the five peaks at its top is considered by believers to be an important ritual that is strictly performed.
For some time now, independent tourists are also allowed to Mount Hua. A standard entrance ticket costs about $ 30, you can deviate from the route and look at other sights of the mountain for an additional fee.
The chess pavilion on one of the peaks is a visiting card of the Huangshan hiking route. A small graceful house, soaring in the clouds, surrounded by a pair of pine trees, can be seen in the photos of numerous travel guides to Xi'an.
Several hostels are open on the mountain, where you can spend the night to meet the sunrise on Huashan. In the morning hours, the surrounding landscapes look especially picturesque.
You will have to go down by cable car, and to get to Huashan National Park from Xi'an, the most convenient way is by train.
Note to shopaholics
They say that China is a shopper's paradise, and Xi'an is fully in line with conventional wisdom about the country. Where can you go for souvenirs, gifts for relatives and fashionable novelties of the light industry of the Celestial Empire? Head to Century Ginwa, home to dozens of internationally renowned brand names. The department store is located in the historical center near the Bell and Drum Towers, and shopping at Century Ginwa will be a pleasant continuation of your sightseeing excursion.
Shu Yuan Men Street, which runs behind the Stela Museum, is full of stalls and small shops all year round with souvenirs and products made by local artisans. There are many antique shops on the Xi'an Arbat, where all lovers of old trinkets can go.
A paradise for fans of antiques in Xi'an is called the market next to the Little Wild Goose Pagoda, but merchants here often pass off the remake as ancient treasures. If you don't care about the age of the souvenir, come to the bazaar and haggle. With due persistence of the buyer, the sellers of "antiques" always reduce the price.
Carpets, clothing, jade items, souvenirs and mini replicas of Terracotta Army warriors can be found at Shu Yuan Men. The shopping center on the street where the Big Wild Goose Pagoda stands will satisfy the needs of the most discerning tourist.
Delicious points on the map
It is impossible to stay hungry in China. Xi'an's restaurants and cafes prove this claim every second. Literally at every step, the guest is greeted by the open doors of establishments serving hundreds of various Chinese dishes:
- At First Noodle Under The Sun, you will find a variety of noodle options, from vegetarian to meat. The noodles are served here with shrimp and chicken, soy sprouts and bell peppers. Fans of dumplings will also not leave disappointed - the place offers a traditional dish with several dozen ideas for filling. The menu will pleasantly delight tourists with low prices.
- Lunch or dinner at Five Zen5es will be more expensive, where the cuisine is also traditional for the Middle Kingdom, but the service, interior and general atmosphere quite claim to be of a high class. Vegetarians will also find suitable dishes in the list of dishes, and therefore the restaurant is very popular.
- And in Xi'an it is worth going to the dumplings. It is not simple here, but the largest in the world, and De Fa Chang Restaurant serves more than 200 types of dishes loved by both Russians and Chinese. Dumplings in the restaurant are molded in different shapes and sizes, and you can see absolutely everything as a filling - from traditional pork to chocolate.
If Chinese cuisine hasn't become your cravings, don't despair! In Xi'an, there is also a place to go for fans of the good old European classics. The city has many establishments with Italian, French, Mediterranean and even Russian cuisine.