Xī’ān’s main attraction is the Terracotta Army, a set of ancient, lifesize warriors made over 2,000 years ago. They were only recently discovered (within the past 30 years), but they’re a huge tourist draw into the area. The archeological site is actually about 45km east of Xī’ān (the airport is also 45km away, in the opposite direction — the long distances and clueless tourists are a cabbie’s dream).
The aircraft hanger that also houses the warriors
I had unrealistic expectations for the warriors. I imagined thousands of warriors in pristine condition, along with the ability to get up close to the warriors (I wanted to get a picture of one wearing a sombrero I brought).
In reality, most of the warriors have yet to be excavated — one of the three pits has little more than a couple of damaged soldiers on display. I don’t remember the exact number, but around 1,000 have been unearthed to date. Excavation (and restoration) are still in progress, so I imagine this will change as the years go by.
They’re definitely worth checking out though — just don’t base your expectations around high-quality photos taken with a telephoto lens. Don’t miss the excellent street food in the Xī’ān’s Muslim Quarter either.
See the rest of the Xi’An photos through Flickr.