Xi'an

Home of the Terracotta Army

Xi'an was the capital of China for over a thousand years under multiple dynasties, and it shows — from the buried Terracotta Army to the intact Ming-era city wall. It's also home to some of the country's most distinctive regional noodle and street food culture.

Best time to visit: March-May, September-November

Explore Xi'an by theme

Highlights

The Terracotta Army
Thousands of life-sized clay soldiers, horses, and chariots buried to guard the tomb of China's first emperor, discovered by accident in 1974 when local farmers were digging a well. One of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century.
Xi'an City Wall
A largely intact Ming Dynasty fortification encircling the old city, wide enough to walk or cycle along its full loop. One of the best-preserved ancient city walls in China.
Biang Biang Noodles
Extra-wide, hand-pulled wheat noodles, often as broad as a belt, tossed with chili oil, vinegar, garlic, and vegetables. A Shaanxi specialty named for the slapping sound the dough makes as it's stretched.
Yang Rou Pao Mo (Mutton Soup with Bread)
A hearty mutton or lamb broth poured over hand-torn flatbread, a Xi'an staple particularly associated with the city's Hui Muslim community. Eaten as a filling one-bowl meal, especially in colder months.
Muslim Quarter
A historic neighborhood centered around the Great Mosque, home to Xi'an's Hui Muslim community for over a thousand years and now a dense street-food market by day and evening.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
A Tang Dynasty Buddhist pagoda built to house scriptures brought back from India by the monk Xuanzang, whose travels later inspired the novel Journey to the West.

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