Xi'an, China Named One of the Top Ten Cities in the World to Visit by The Traveling American
Over the past twenty-five years, The Traveling American has visited over one hundred cities around the world. This article focuses on the best cities we have visited outside of the United States and Canada. All places have their faults, but some cities have special characteristics that make them more memorable to visit. The task of naming the Top Ten World Cities was a difficult one and we considered an initial list of twenty five places. We then selected twelve cities (there were a few ties) that we believe are the most interesting to see for our Top Ten list.
Here is Xi'an, China which we named as the World's Number 8 City in a tie with Rio de Janeiro.
It may be a surprising choice to some people but we felt that the long history and distinctive landmarks of the area were so unusual that the city deserved recognition as one of the top places in the world for travelers to visit.
A City at the Crossroads of History
Xi’an is an ancient city that dates back to the days of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdie, who unified a large portion of China around 220 AD and later buried the Terra Cotta Warriors and himself in the nearby countryside. For more than 1500 years thereafter, Xi'an remained one of the largest cities in the world, a commercial center, and sometimes the capital of different empires. Marco Polo's famous book the "Marvels of the World" described his decades long travels in the 14th century along the Silk Road that connected the Chinese empire of the Great Khan to Central Asia, India, the Byzantine Empire and the maritime cities of Italy. Trade of silk, gold, hides and other scarce resources flourished along the Silk Road which brought a diverse population of people to the city now known as Xi’an in China.Polo described the medieval city as follows: "It is in a great plain, where there are rivers and lakes and springs. Round it is a massive and lofty wall, five miles in compass, well built, with garnished battlements. And within this wall is the king's palace, so great and fine that no one could imagine onefinerwith splendid halls and chambers, painted and embellished with beaten gold."
Xi'an may not be as grand today as in its heyday. But it is modern Chinese city with an urban population of almost ten million people, a hazy skyline of high rises outside of the Old City, and busy narrow streets and marketplaces within the ancient city walls. North of the City is a train station for China’s high-speed rail system which has opened up the region to business investment and greater tourism opportunities. The city has famous landmarks worth seeing along with a reputation for culture that makes it an interesting place for visitors to explore and shop. Xi'an was ranked as the second most popular tourist destination in China in 2020.
Leading Attractions in Xi'an
City Walls - Since the time of the Tang Dynasty from 618 to 907 AD, some form of wall has existed around the city. It was later expanded and turned into an impenetrable military fortification with a moat, drawbridges, hundreds of watchtowers and gates, and parapets to keep soldiers from falling off. There is no record of the walls ever being breached in battle even during the turmoil of the 20th century. The same five mile wall mentioned by Marco Polo remains intact today and is quite grand in scale. It is as high as a ten-story building with a solid stone facing and still surrounded in places by a large moat. On top, there is a broad thoroughfare about 40 feet wide for walking, biking, and local activities. Visitors can pass around the entire eight and a half miles of the wall and explore both the top of the wall and outside of it where there are many parks enjoyed by elders and children. On the southern side of the wall, cultural displays are sometimes installed in connection with festivals and events. During a celebration of Chinese New Year a decade ago, local artists constructed a 100-yard-long snake out of red globes to celebrate the "Year of the Snake".
Wild Goose Pagoda - The Wild Goose Pagoda was built in the seventh century to house the scriptures, shrines and relics of a Buddhist scholar and traveler named Xuanzang who brought back many spiritual teachings with him from India. This seven story structure has survived earthquakes and political upheaval and is a popular place to visit. It is located within the Dacien Temple where monks still practice their devotions and pilgrims make offerings in support of their faith.
Muslim Quarter - Another destination enjoyed by visitors both day and night is the traditional Muslim Quarter which reflects the food and culture of the many Arabic and Persian traders and their families who settled in the city over hundreds of years. The marketplace and streets there are full of vendors offering snacks and traditional breads, meat kabobs, and sweets. The shops in the souk sell embroidered dresses, leather goods, antiquities, and handicrafts. Other popular stops in the old city include the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, and many dumpling restaurants which all claim to be the best.
Terra Cotta Warriors - Emperor Qin's many accomplishments had a lasting effect on China including building some of the original walls that later became part of the Great Wall, instituting a single currency, creating standard weights and measures, and establishing a bureaucracy to administer government. But an obsession with his own mortality in later life undermined his reputation. Qin decided his imperial legacy should be preserved after his death in the form of a vast underground City and monuments. Lost to history for thousands of years, a farmer digging a well in 1974 discovered several terra cotta statues of soldiers in a portion of Xi'an located twenty five miles from the city center. Archaeologists soon uncovered three huge pits containing an army of more than 8,000 individually carved, life sized soldiers with armaments, chariots, and horses. This army was put in place to guard the Emperor's tomb for eternity.
Visiting the site of the Terra Cotta Warriors is a fascinating experience. One of the main pits is open to tourists. As large as several football fields, it contains thousands of warriors that have been reassembled one by one. Several bronze chariots, horses and numerous individual warriors can be viewed up close at the museum site. There are cavalrymen, archers, officers, crossbowmen and generals on display. Each statue was forged in furnaces by thousands of craftsmen working over several decades. Although archaeologists believe that eight principal molds were used, each statue was given distinctive physical features, painted, and then outfitted with leather or metal armaments. Most of the coloring on the statues faded quickly after they were unearthed, so some statues have been left in the dirt while scientists work on finding better methods to preserve the paint. There is a huge pyramid shaped tomb several miles away which everyone thought was a mountain until the Warriors were discovered in 1974. Today, the Emperor's grave is believed to lie in an underground chamber located within the mountain in an elaborate mortuary complex that includes replicas of the cities, armies and treasures amassed during his long reign for his use in the afterlife. Emperor Qin reportedly had over one thousand of the workers sacrificed and buried with him.
Guide Recommendation - Anyone visiting Xi'an will benefit from having a local guide to get around the city and visit the key sites such as the Terra Cotta Warriors. One experienced guide with a passion for history and excellent communication skills is Bryan Bai who is profiled in the Private Tour Guides section of The Traveling American. He is a certified English Tour Guide.