Our Address and Getting here

About our Location – Xi’an

Xi’an has a rich and culturally significant history. Xi’an became a cultural and political centre of China in the 11th century BCE with the founding of the Zhou Dynasty. Following the Warring States Period, China was unified under the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) for the first time, with the capital located at Xianyang, just northwest of modern Xi’an. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of the Terracotta Army and his mausoleum just to the east of Xi’an almost immediately after his ascension to the throne.

In 202 BCE, the founding emperor Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty established his capital in Chang’an County; his first palace Changle Palace (长乐宫/長樂宮, perpetual happiness) was built across the river from the ruin of the Qin capital. This is traditionally regarded as the founding date of Chang’an, or Xi’an. The original Xi’an city wall was started in 194 BCE and took 4 years to finish.

Following several hundred years of unrest, Sui Dynasty united China again in 582. The emperor of Sui ordered a new capital to be built southeast of the Han capital, called Daxing (大兴/大興, great prosperity). It consisted of three sections: the Xi´an Palace, the Imperial City, and the civilian section, with a total area of 84 km² within the city walls. At the time, it was the largest city in the world. The city was renamed Chang’an in the Tang Dynasty.

Chang’an was devastated at the end of the Tang Dynasty in 904. Residents were forced to move to the new capital city in Luoyang. Only a small area in the city continued to be occupied thereafter. During the Ming Dynasty, a new wall was constructed in 1370 and remains intact to this day.

Because of the city’s many historical monuments and a plethora of ancient ruins and tombs in the vicinity tourism has been an important component of the local economy, and the Xi’an region is one of China’s most popular tourist destinations.

Some of the most well-known sites in Xi’an are:

• The city is surrounded by a well-preserved City wall of Xi´an which was re-constructed in the 14th century during the early Ming Dynasty and was based on the inner imperial palace of Tang Dynasty.
• The Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and his Terracotta Army are located 40 km to the east of the city centre, in the city’s suburbs.
• The Bell Tower and Drum Tower, both are located at the city’s central axis.
• The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and Small Wild Goose Pagoda are both spectacular towers and both are well over 1,000 years old and have survived great earthquakes. The former is next to a large square with the largest fountain in Asia which projects water high into the air, rising and falling in time to music during one of the daily performances (usually at noon and soon after sunset). They protected Buddhist writings in the past.
• The Stele Forest is famous for its numerous historic inscriptions and stoneworks
• The Famen Temple and its towering pagoda located on the city’s outskirt
• The Shaanxi History Museum has a large collection of artifacts both modern and ancient.
• Mount Hua is one of the most visited and steepest mountains in the country
• Huaqing Hot Springs (華清池), at the foot of Mt. Lishan, have a history of 6,000 years, the adjacent Huaqing Palace has a history of 3,000 years. Ranked among the Hundred Famous Gardens in China, it also has the status as a National Cultural Relic Protection Unit and a National Key Scenic Area.