Xi'an is the capital of Shaanxi province in China and a sub-provincial city. Known as one of the most important cities in Chinese history, Xi'an is listed as one of the Four Great Ancient capitals of China because it has been the capital of 13 dynasties, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang. Xi'an is also the eastern end of the Silk Road and the location of the Terracotta Army, made during the Qin Dynasty.The city has more than 3,100 years of history. The ancient city of Chang'an is within Xi'an's borders, but is offset from the existing walled city of Xi'an.
The city is surrounded by a well-preserved city wall which was re-constructed in the Ming Dynasty. The area in which Xi'an sits is a relatively flat place, making travel on the wall relatively easy unlike the steep inclines of the Great Wall. It is also plenty wide enough to rent a bicycle and cruise along the wall without ruffling anyone's feathers (bicycling around the city walls will take about 2 hours).
Xi’an has several things to see within the city. The city's Muslim quarter is home to the Great Mosque of Xi'an. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Small Wild Goose Pagoda are both spectacular towers and both are well over 1000 years old and have mostly survived great earthquakes. The former is next to a large square with many fountains that rise and fall in time to music during one of the daily performances. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower are located at the city centre. The Shaanxi History Museum has a large collection of artifacts both modern and ancient. The Stele Forest is famous for its numerous historic inscriptions and stone works.
Located outside of the city are the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and his Terracotta Army, located 40 km to the east of the city's suburbs, the Banpo Neolithic village (6,000 year old ruins of a village site), Taiping National Park (famous for its waterfall) and Xiangyu Forest Park.
