蓝田猿人遗址
In 1964, at this site in Lantian County, the cranium of a hominid was discovered. The discovery came just one year after a mandible belonging to a similar individual had been found in another part of the county. The two individuals were later classified as belonging to a subspecies of Homo erectus known as Homo erectus lantianensis or Lantian Man. A small museum at the site displays both the cranium and the mandible, as well as a collection of stone tools and animal fossils, which were also found in the area.
Closed · opens 9 am·Free
兵马俑; Bīngmǎyǒng
This mighty army of terracotta warriors and horses, found in three vaults, is perhaps the most popular tourist attraction of Shaanxi and one of the most popular in all of China. An in-site museum has been built over these pits, covering a floorspace of 20,000 m² and housing 8,000 lifelike terracotta warriors, 100 or so chariots, and 40,000 weapons, allegedly crafted to replace actual human sacrifices that had been commonplace in previous dynasties. Not all of these are on display, and the site is still an active archeological dig. There are 3 pits (numbered and clearly signposted 1,2,3). Going from pit 3 to pit 2 to pit 1 means that each pit gets more impressive and ensures a grand finale. The assemblage has been billed by the tourist industry as the Eighth Wonder of the World and a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. The ticket office is next to the parking lot, which is a 5- to 10-minute walk away from the entrance to the museum. Buy your tickets at the ticket office or you can also buy them from resellers at the entrance for a ¥5 fee. For ¥5, you can opt to take a small bus from the ticket counter to the entry to the site, which saves you about 10 minutes of walking. On the way back, however, you are forced to walk in order not to "miss" the countless opportunities to buy small terracotta warriors, other tourist articles and food. When buying your ticket you are likely to be approached by a 'guide', especially if you look foreign. The normal asking price is ¥200 (per person) but you should be able to bargain them down to around ¥75-100. ¥100 is reasonable for the 2 - 3 hours they will accompany you. When talking to them, take the time to evaluate how they speak, because if you can't understand them at the start it'll just get worse. Inside Pit 1 there is a 'photo spot' to the left of the entry when you can be escorted to one of the nicer places. However it costs ¥200 for ~15 min (but includes a picture). You won't miss much by not doing it, but you wi
Closed · opens 8:30 am·¥120, students ¥60 (only for local students). Passport required for ticket purchase
秦始皇陵
Mausoleum of the First Emperor of China. You can visit the surrounding gardens and mountains, but the massive burial chamber has not been excavated, so the Mausoleum itself is very unassuming. There is a low quality museum with a reconstruction of the mausoleum. Optional carts available at a fee to go directly to the museum. Taking pictures in the dimly lit museum is forbidden, although staff will not control it too much. There are two small excavation pits in the area.
Mausoleum ¥40 (although it seems to be included in the Terracota Warriors ticket, as of Aug 2024), museum ¥15
华清宫; Huáqīnggōng 华清池; Huáqīngchí; Huaqing Pool
Built by the Tang emperor Xuanzong near hot springs at the foot of Li Shan (Mount Li) so he could frolic with his favoured Imperial Concubine Yang to his heart's content. You may also take the nearby cable car (¥35 return) to catch a Birdseye view of the area. Most of today's structures date not from the Tang Dynasty, but from later dynasties. The exception is the ruins of the Tang Dynasty baths, which have been excavated and are open to public viewing. Also of interest is a residential compound dating from the late Qing Dynasty that was briefly home to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek. This was the site of the Xi'an Incident in 1936 and the bullet holes from the incident can still be seen.
Closed · opens 7 am·Standard adult tickets are ¥120, Students, children and persons over 65 pay half price