ANCIENT CITY

Right at the heart of modern Xian is a walled ancient history that contains a rich array of cultural sites that should not be missed.



This well-preserved wall was reconstructed in the Ming dynasty and visitors are able to walk or even cycle along its remains.

It stretches 14 kilometres as a rectangle with a gateway and three watchtowers on each side to act as a defensive lookout.

The city's Muslim quarter is home to the Great Mosque of Xian, which was built during the Song dynasty, which lasted between 960 and 1279 AD.

Other important buildings are the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, which were both built in the Ming dynasty in about 1380.

The Xian Provincial Museum contains a rich collection of cultural relics also worth going to see, including the famous Forest of Tablet Stones.

These stones are treasures of the calligraphic art world and contain fine examples from a wide range of dynasties, including Han, Wei, Yuan, Ming and Qing.

There are a pair of ancient Goose pagodas that are both spectacular towers and masterpieces of ancient Chinese architecture, build 1,300 years old.

Monks still live and worship in these pagodas, as well as nearby Buddhist and Taoist temples, including the famous Famen Temple.

Xian was home to one of the most famous Buddhist monks in history, Xuan Zan, who travelled around India in the 17th Century.