Terracotta Warriors and Emperor Qin's Mausoleum

The Terracotta Warriors sit about 35 kilometres east of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, in the burial complex of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a unified China. The site is usually visited as a half-day or full-day trip from Xi'an, and it is one of the most substantial archaeological sites open to the public anywhere in the country. The army is the main draw, but it is only one part of a much larger mausoleum complex, and understanding how the two fit together makes the visit far more rewarding.

What you actually see

The site is organised into three excavation pits open to visitors, plus the museum covering the bronze chariots and horses. They are not equal in size or impact, and the order in which you walk through them matters.

  • Pit 1 is the largest and the one most people picture: a vast hangar-like hall covering an area roughly the size of an aircraft carrier, with ranks of infantry and chariots standing in earthen corridors. This is where you get the sense of scale.
  • Pit 2 holds cavalry, archers and chariots in a more complex formation. Many figures here are still partly buried or were badly damaged, so you see the excavation work as much as the finished result.
  • Pit 3 is small and appears to have been a command post for the units in the other pits.
  • The Bronze Chariots Museum displays two large bronze chariots with horses and drivers, found near the emperor's tomb mound. The detailing on these pieces is extraordinary, and they are often rushed past by groups heading back to the bus.

The Emperor's Mausoleum

Roughly 1.5 kilometres west of the pits rises the burial mound of Qin Shi Huang himself. The tomb chamber has never been excavated, and current policy is to leave it undisturbed. What you see is the landscaped mound and the surrounding grounds rather than any interior. It is a short stop, but it completes the picture: the warriors were placed here as a guard for the emperor, not as a standalone attraction. The wider site also includes areas where acrobats, officials and other figures were found, and excavation and conservation work continues across the complex.

Practical points

Tickets cover entry to the pits, the Bronze Chariots Museum and the mausoleum area, and the shuttle bus between the pits and the mound is included. Opening hours are generally 08:30 to 17:00 in low season and extend to about 18:00 in high season, with last entry roughly an hour before closing.