Aktivitäten in  Xian

Once the capital of China, Xi’an is famous for the Terracotta Warriors, an army of thousands of clay figures buried alongside China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. It’s also known for its 40-foot (12-meter) city walls, its vibrant Muslim Quarter, the Tomb of Emperor Jing Di, and elegant pagodas and temples.

Between tombs, temples, mosques, pagodas, museums, the city walls, the hot springs, the Terracotta Warriors, and the delicious street eats, it would be easy to spend a week in Xi’an. Most travelers manage to hit the highlights—the walls, the warriors, the Muslim Quarter, and the main downtown sights and museums—in 2–3 days.

The most famous site in Xi’an is the Terracotta Warriors Museum: open pits display the warriors still standing proud as when they were first interred. But the 14th-century Xi’an City Wall, stretching 8 miles (14 kilometers) around Xi’an’s old city, is truly impressive, whether you’re hiking or biking.

Yes. The Terracotta Warriors are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city itself holds UNESCO status. Xi’an marked the eastern end of the historic Silk Road so inside those historic city walls nestles a fascinating and diverse culture that’s particularly noticeable in the Muslim Quarter and Great Mosque.

Everyone in Xi’an speaks standard Mandarin Chinese, the official language of China: it is too far north for Cantonese to be useful. You may also hear local dialects, particularly Guanzhong dialect, but travelers are not expected to understand these.

In Chinese, “x” makes a sound similar to “sh”. “Xi” in Xi’an is pronounced like the name of President Xi, which sounds similar to the English pronoun “she”. The “an” has a long “a” as in the “ah” sound. So you pronounce Xi’an “She-Ahn”.