Cycling on the Xi’an City Wall by Andrew and Grace

Today’s Travel Photo of the Day was taken by Realtravelers Andrew and Grace at the South Gate of the Xi’an City Wall. The ancient, majestic wall has survived more completely than any other wall in China and has added to Xi’an’s status as a World Heritage Site. Xi’an is known for many other historical sites as well, including the Terra Cotta Warriors.

One great way to explore the Xi’an and the city wall is by bicycle, as Andrew and Grace did. They explain some of the wall’s history, as well as their impressions of it, in their blog:

“Today’s highlight was a leisurely late afternoon cycle on the Xi’an city wall; a distance of 13.74km. The wall, an ancient fortification situated in the heart of the XI’an, was established in 582AD in the second year of the Sui Dynasty. Xi’an was formerly known as Chang’an during the Sui (581-618AD) and Tang (618-907AD) Dynasties. It was repaired and expanded upon in successive dynasties, based on the foundations established in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Subsequently, the wall was extended to the east and north by Hongwu, the first emperor during the Ming Dynasty.

Four main gates are present: Changle Gate in the east, Anding Gate in the west, Yongding Gate in the south and Anyuan gate in the north. The structure is rectangular in shape with the north and south walls longer than the east and west walls. The wall is 12 metres high, with a width of 12-14 metres at the top and 15-18 metres at the base. A moat and manicured gardens surround the wall.

We arrived at the South Gate around 5.30pm to be greeted by a multitude of tourists, most of whom appeared to be Spanish-speaking. By now the rain had subsided and the heat of the afternoon had disspiated. The South Gate Tower had been converted into a sales area soecialising in silk, paintings and sculptures. The second floor of the tower offered commanding views of the streets outside the city walls, along the city wall itself, and into the city within the confines of the walls extending to the Bell Tower.” (more…)

Could you see yourself enjoying a visit to Xi’an? You may want to peruse other travel photos here, read other Realtravelers’ Xi’an blogs like those from The Cheng Family, Afa, and Kyle & Dan, and also check out these informational links:

Xi’an Travel Guide
Xi’an Travel Blogs
China Travel Guide
City Wall of Xi’an