Attractions in Xi'an

The burial mound of China's first emperor, 1.5 km west of the Terracotta Army pits. The inner tomb has never been excavated.

Xi'an's Ming-dynasty city wall is one of the best-preserved ancient fortifications in China, forming a 13.7 km rectangular loop around the old city centre. Completed in 1370 under Emperor Hongwu, the wall stands 12 metres high.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayanta) is a seven-storey brick tower standing 64 metres tall, originally built in 652 CE to house Buddhist scriptures brought from India by the monk Xuanzang. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014.

The largest musical fountain in Asia, stretching over 300 metres in front of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Free nightly show with water jets up to 60 metres.

Founded in 742 CE during the Tang dynasty, the Great Mosque of Xi'an is one of the oldest and largest mosques in China. It follows traditional Chinese courtyard architecture with pagoda-style minarets.

The Temple of the Eight Immortals is Xi'an's largest active Taoist temple, its incense-filled courtyards bustling with fortune-tellers, calligraphers and devotees burning joss paper. The temple compound includes shrines to each of the Taoist Eight Immortals and a vibrant morning flea market.

Standing at the exact centre of the old walled city, the Bell Tower is a 36-metre-high Ming-dynasty wooden structure built in 1384, originally housing a massive bronze bell to mark the dawn.

The Small Wild Goose Pagoda (Xiaoyanta) is a 43-metre brick tower dating to 707 CE, set within the Xi'an Museum complex. Less crowded than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Famen Temple, 120 km west of Xi'an, houses a genuine finger-bone relic of the Buddha, sealed underground for over 1,000 years before its 1987 discovery.

The Drum Tower stands 300 metres northwest of the Bell Tower, marking the entrance to the Muslim Quarter. Built in 1380, it originally held a large drum beaten at dusk.

The main imperial palace of the Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE), once covering 5 km² — six times the Forbidden City. Mostly earthen foundations today.

Huaqing Palace sits at the foot of Mount Li, 30 km east of Xi'an, and has served as a royal hot-spring retreat for over 3,000 years. Famous as the love nest of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei.

Huaqing Hot Springs is an imperial resort at the foot of Li Mountain, 30 km east of Xi'an. The site is famous as the bathing retreat of Tang Emperor Xuanzong and his consort Yang Guifei — their marble pools are still visible beneath glass covers.

Qinglong Temple is a restored Tang-dynasty monastery famous for its connections to Japanese Buddhism — monk Kūkai studied here in the 9th century. The temple grounds are planted with cherry trees that bloom spectacularly each spring, drawing photographers and picnickers.

Daxingshan Temple is a Tang-dynasty Buddhist complex that once served as a centre for translating Sanskrit sutras into Chinese. The temple's quiet courtyards, drum tower and incense-heavy prayer halls offer a contemplative escape from Xi'an's traffic.

Guangren Temple is Xi'an's only Tibetan Buddhist monastery, its halls decorated with colourful thangka paintings, prayer wheels and butter lamps that contrast sharply with the Chinese Buddhist temples elsewhere in the city. The temple is rarely visited by tourists, preserving an authentic devotional atmosphere..

Da Ci'en Temple is a foremost Buddhist temple in Xi'an, famous as monk Xuanzang's base after his 17-year pilgrimage to India. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda stands within its grounds.

One of Xi'an's oldest Buddhist temples, founded during the Eastern Han dynasty (2nd century CE). Small, quiet, and far from tourist crowds.

A small Buddhist temple known for housing the Small Wild Goose Pagoda's original monastic community. Compact courtyards and gardens provide a quiet retreat.

Wolong Temple is a quiet Zen Buddhist monastery that rarely appears on tourist itineraries. Its wisteria-draped courtyard and meditative atmosphere make it one of Xi'an's most peaceful corners — a genuine hidden gem.

An archaeological site of Qin dynasty ceramic production and residential area northwest of Xi'an, providing context for the Terracotta Army's supply chain.

The South Gate (Yongning Gate) is the largest and most imposing of the four original gates in Xi'an's city wall. The most popular point for beginning a wall walk or bike ride.