Xian Hotels

Xi'an is a historic city in Shaanxi Province in China. Xi'an has a 6,000-year history and was known as Chang'an in ancient times. During 1,000 years the city was capital for 13 dynasties, and a total of 73 emperors ruled here. With so much history within the ground the city lies upon, it is no wonder that there are so many historical ruins and, in the museums, cultural relics. Even before the lives of Christ, Mohammad, and Siddhartha, Xi'an was a world class city and already influencing the world outside of The Great Wall of China. As the eastern terminus of the Silk Road), traders from far and wide brought goods and ideas for sale and took goods and ideas back with them to their communities. In the present times, not much of its former glory remains within the city due to warfare and constant political changes throughout the ages. The city of Xian (population 6 million) was the first city in China to open up its doors to the Ancient world, not in 1980 under the "Open Door" policy but in fact during the Tang dynasty when Xian blossomed as the first stop on the Silk Road China. Over a period of more than 2000 years, Xian was the capital for eleven dynasties. Along with Rome and Constantinople, this Xian was a world leader in culture and trade and played a vital role in bridging the gap between east and west. Many of the sites to visit are outside Xian and the surrounding countryside offers a treasure trove of historical and religious relics of China. The most famous site is the Terracotta Army, built to protect the Emperor Qin Shi Huang, whose Mausoleum lies close the warriors. Both these sights are to the east of Xian. There are other less famous but equally fascinating places worth visiting too. The Famen Temple claims to house the Buddha's fingers and still draws crowds of practicing monks (and tourists) to marvel at the fingers and the Tang dynasty treasures which are kept here. The countryside around Xian is also attractive and there are numerous mountains, including Mount Huashan which are a great break from the city