A VISIT TO THE TERRACOTTA WARRIORS AND HORSES MUSEUM

My first winter experience is something I shall never forget in my lifetime.  Adding to such unforgettable journey is the opportunity of being able to visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site, which made the city of Xian (pronounced as She-ahn) in China included in the map of every tourists around the world - the Terrracotta Warriors and Horses Museum.

The challenge of being able to visit this greatest archaeological excavation/site never ended, starting from the travel itself until we wander on the site as we have to endure the weather with our bones trembling and shivering amidst the temperature which seems like wandering inside a large refrigerator with a picturesque backdrop.  Taking photos and smiling for the cameras as if everything is normal is also a challenge.


Getting to Xian can either be through a one-hour flight or an overnight train from Beijing.  We opted for the latter for an absolutely challenging experience aside from the budget considerations.  Xian is China's first historic city.  From the railway station, just take Bus # 306.  After paying the entrance fees, a twenty-minute walk to the museum is an inevitable part of the tour.
  • Admission fee: 90rmb (US$ 11) from Mar 1 to Nov 30, 65rmb (US$ 8) from Dec 1 - Feb 28
  • Opening hours: 8:00am to 6:00pm


The museum seems to be tourist friendly most especially to backpackers for the convenience of being able to roam around without any luggage on hand.  The "left-luggage office" as they call it has padlocks for every locker and there are unique combinations for each padlock.  While walking and fighting against the very cold weather, there are a line of souvenir shops to choose from and restaurants where authentic chinese cuisine is being served.  Just a word of advice if not used to eating street foods take extra caution in trying its cuisine as it may ruin your tour.  I was looking for miniature terracotta soldiers while on the way to the museum itself and we noticed that it's much cheaper when you're near the museum, so you have to bear with the mandatory exercise of walking.  It was raining when we started our visit to the museum, so you can just imagine how it adds up to the freezing temperature that we were experiencing.



 
 
Most if not all of the tourists avail of tour guides and are usually on a group tour, but for us, our game plan as usual was just to discover it on our own and listen discreetly to what the tour guides has to say. 

There are three pits in the museum, in the order of discovery.  Once there, we just took many pictures as we can remembering our ordeal for just being in this museum.  Another piece of advice for every traveler don't expect too much from the display of terracotta army and horses and you'll definitely be disappointed.  What is important is the experience that you were able to actually witness the grandeur of ancient Chinese civilization and its culture.  Below are some of the remarkable photos I took in the first building that we have visited.


Before visiting the other array of Terracotta soldiers, a picturesque backdrop likewise awaits while wandering outside.  Warning: photos are deceiving as it was freezing when these pictures were taken yet we have to smile for the cameras as usual.






 
And finally, the most-photographed replica of imperial guards and horses...










After hours of wandering and as the rain stopped, we are now bound to end our tour and just took photos outside of the museums as souvenirs.








On our way back a bonus attraction we visited is a village museum reflecting structures under the Qin Dynasty.















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1 comments

  1. Thanks for sharing about Terracotta Warrior. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum is one of the top attractions in China, because of its historical significance and uniqueness. Terracotta Warriors are a collection of ancient military figures located near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.

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