Xian Army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses

(Xian, Shaanxi, China)

Without question one of China's most famous and impressive sights, the Army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a World Heritage Site, and is directly responsible for much of the tourism within the Xian area. Known as the 'Bingmayong', much of the Terracotta Army is in a remarkably pristine condition, considering that it is more than 2,000 years ago.

This popular attraction is within easy reach of the city of Xian and was actually only discovered as recently as 1974, when local farmers were digging a well, some 2 km / 1.5 mile to the east of Mount Liu. It is estimated there are in excess of 8,000 terracotta warrior statues, together with some 650 horses and more than 100 chariots, although many of these still remain buried and have yet to be excavated.

General Information

Built as a spectacular mausoleum and to stand guard over an imperial necropolis, it is believed that a workforce of around 700,000 people was involved in creating this vast complex.

The Terracotta Warriors are of varying sizes, being between 1.8 and 1.95 metres / 5.9 and 6.4 feet in height, with the tallest depicting army generals.

Excavations have revealed four separate pits, featuring wide corridors and different sets of figures, with Pit 2 and 3 being home to a series of war chariots, while Pit 4 appears unfinished.

Guided tours from Xian are available, with the admission price including entry to both the museum and the historic vaults. The Army of Terracotta Warriors is open on a daily basis, with the last admission taking place at 16:30.