Xian had been the heart of ancient China’s economy, administration, and culture. The renowned Silk Route which connected civilizations from Greece to the Middle East to India, Sri Lanka and China culminated in the Xian province. Many of the Chinese dynasties that are still widely spoken of ruled the country from Xian, thus, there is much to see and do from a cultural and historical point of view. As a modern day traveler, you will find that a Xian apartment would suit your needs and that there are plenty of comforts on offer in these abodes which range from humble to opulent such as the Citadines Central Xi’an.
The much spoken of terracotta army, which is considered to be the greatest finding of the twentieth century, was discovered by accident by a group of local farmers in 1974. Even if you don’t know it by name as the terracotta army, it is very likely that you have seen numerous images of the 8,000 odd soldiers that stand within the enclosure which is about as large as a football stadium. This is located about forty minutes away from the Xian city and has to be one major reason for you to visit Xian if you do happen to be in China.
Closer to the city limits you will find the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, which is considered one of the most wondrous Buddhist landmarks created in the 7th century by Chinese workmen. A short drive towards the North West will bring you to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda which was built during the early years of the 8th century and is smaller in size but retains the shape and form of its predecessor. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower offer magnificent views of the city of Xian and have been used throughout history to symbolize the start of the day and end of the day by sounding the bell and the drum respectively.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
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