| Xi'an is in China's fertile lowlands. It is most | | | | the terracotta warriors. The mausoleum was in |
| famous for the discovery in 1974 of the | | | | fact an underground palace and it is said that |
| Terracotta Warriors, and is one of the world's | | | | 700,000 people worked on its construction of 36 |
| greatest archaeological sites. This city is home to | | | | years. The vaults where discovered between |
| one of china's largest mosques and has been | | | | 1974 and 1976. In 1979 the actual museum was |
| inhabited for over 6000 years. | | | | constructed and the artifacts where put on |
| Xi'an is probably the central most important city in | | | | display. |
| Chinese history and so it is most famous for the | | | | The three remaining museums that are of |
| large number of historic sites, and museums that | | | | interest to tourists are the Big Goose Pagoda, |
| outline the rich history of the area. Many | | | | The Small Goose Pagoda, and the Banpo Museum. |
| dynasties both started and fell from this city. | | | | The Big, Goose and Small Goose temples where |
| There are five main museums in Xi'an. The Forest | | | | built around 653 and 707 AD respectively and |
| of Stele was setup during the Tang Dynasty and | | | | feature artifacts from the Buddhist monks and |
| in 1090 during the Song Dynasty was turned into | | | | their scriptures. The Banpo museum was built in |
| a Confucian temple. This museum now holds the | | | | 1954 to cover and protect the site of five |
| oldest collection of steles in china. A stele is a | | | | excavations and occupying an area of 33,400 |
| stone that is stood upright and has been inscribed | | | | square feet. |
| with calligraphy. There is so many of these stele's | | | | Needless to say, Xi'an is an ideal place for those |
| that it is referred to as a forest! | | | | interested in the rich history of China to visit. |
| Mentioned earlier in this article was the Terracotta | | | | Anyone wishing to plan tours or vacations to Xi'an |
| Warriors. Well the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang | | | | would be well advised to consult with a travel |
| and the Museum of the Qin Terracotta Figures | | | | agent in order to ensure they get the most out |
| display artifacts from the Qin dynasty including | | | | of their visit. |