What the Terracotta Army Actually Is

The Terracotta Army is an archaeological site and museum in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1987 as part of the "Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor." The site is officially known as the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. It is a burial complex rather than a scenic area: thousands of life-size clay soldiers, horses and chariots were made to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a unified China, who died in 210 BC.

Where It Is and How to Get There

The museum sits in Lintong District, about 35 kilometres east of central Xi'an. The address is on Qinling North Road in Lintong. Most visitors reach it by road, and there are several straightforward options:

  • Tourist bus 5 (306) from the east square of Xi'an Railway Station takes about an hour and drops you at the site.
  • A taxi or ride-hailing car from downtown Xi'an takes around 45 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic.
  • Many travellers join a day tour that pairs the museum with Huaqing Palace or the Qin tomb itself.

From Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, allow roughly 1.5 hours by car. The site is well outside the city wall, so plan for a half day at minimum once you include the drive each way.

How the Site Came to Be

The figures were made between roughly 246 and 208 BC, during Qin Shi Huang's reign, as part of his vast mausoleum complex. Farmers digging a well in March 1974 struck fragments of clay figures, which led to the excavation that continues today. Pit 1, the largest, opened to the public in 1979. Pit 2 and Pit 3 followed in the 1980s, and the museum has expanded steadily since. Excavation and conservation work is ongoing, which is why some sections of the pits remain covered or roped off.

The Main Pits and Exhibits

Pit 1 is the size of an aircraft hangar and holds the largest concentration of figures, arranged in battle formation. This is the hall most people picture, and it is where you see rows of infantry stretching into the distance.

Pit 2 contains cavalry, archers and chariots in a more complex formation. Many figures here are still partly buried, which gives you a sense of how the excavation works.

Pit 3 is smaller and appears to have served as a command post, with officers and a chariot.

The Bronze Chariots and Horses Exhibition Hall displays two half-scale bronze chariots with horses and drivers, found near the emperor's tomb and restored in detail.

The Qin Mausoleum Site Museum and the surrounding burial pits round out the complex, though the emperor's actual tomb mound remains unexcavated.

What to See First, and Why

The restored figures in Pit 1. Each face is different, and the detail in the armour, hair and posture is what makes the site worth the trip. Look for the archer at the front who still shows traces of original paint.

The bronze chariots. The craftsmanship is easy to miss if you rush, but the harness, reins and canopy are all modelled in bronze at half scale. It is one of the finer pieces of Qin metalwork on display.

The active excavation areas in Pit 2. Seeing figures half-emerged from the earth explains more about the site than any label.