Xi’an was the world’s most populous city in the 8th century Tang Dynasty and China’s imperial capital for over 1,100 years — its city walls, Great Mosque, and nearby Terracotta Army make it one of the most historically important walking destinations in Asia. This xian walking tour companion is paired with “Xi’an, China 4K Walking Tour | Zhonglou Bell Tower to Muslim Quarter | 4K HDR 60fps” — a detailed walk through Xi’an’s historic centre from the Bell Tower through the Muslim Quarter to the Great Mosque.
About This Walking Tour
This 4K HDR 60fps walking tour covers the historic centre of Xi’an from the Bell Tower — the 14th-century Ming Dynasty landmark that marks the exact centre of the old city — through the food streets and vendor lanes of the Huimin Jie Muslim Quarter to the Great Mosque of Xi’an. The Muslim Quarter is home to the Hui Muslim community whose ancestors arrived as traders and diplomats along the Silk Road from Central Asia and the Middle East, creating one of China’s most distinctive cultural districts with a culinary tradition centred on lamb, flat breads, and pomegranate juice.
The video captures the dense street market atmosphere of the Muslim Quarter — food stalls selling persimmon cakes, roast lamb skewers, rou jia mo (Chinese hamburgers with braised pork or lamb), and biangbiang noodles — alongside the approach to the Great Mosque through its series of decorated gateways. The Great Mosque itself, founded in 742 AD, is built entirely in Chinese architectural style without minarets or domes, using traditional Chinese courtyard and pavilion architecture adapted to Islamic function.
The city walls walk — on the 14-kilometre perimeter of the Ming Dynasty walls that encircle the old city — and the day trip to the Terracotta Army (45 minutes by bus) are natural extensions of this central circuit.
Highlights of Xi’an
Xi’an’s city walls, built between 1370 and 1378 during the early Ming Dynasty, are the best-preserved city walls in China. The walls stand 12 metres high, are 15 metres wide at the base, and run for 13.74 kilometres around the old city centre. Bicycle and electric cart rental at the wall’s gates allows visitors to circuit the full perimeter in 1–2 hours — one of China’s most distinctive urban experiences. The four main gates — South, North, East, and West — retain their original gate towers.
The Great Mosque of Xi’an was founded in 742 AD under the Tang Dynasty and expanded multiple times through the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Unlike Middle Eastern mosques, it uses Chinese timber-frame architecture throughout — wooden pavilions, decorative gateways, courtyard gardens — with Arabic calligraphy incorporated into traditional Chinese decorative motifs. The prayer hall can accommodate several hundred worshippers and is open to non-Muslim visitors outside prayer times.
The Terracotta Army at the mausoleum of the First Emperor of China (Qin Shi Huang, died 210 BC) is approximately 40 kilometres east of Xi’an and requires a separate half-day trip. The three excavated pits contain an estimated 8,000 life-size terracotta soldiers, 130 chariots, and 670 horses, buried to protect the emperor in the afterlife. The figures were discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974 and excavation is ongoing.
A Brief History of Xi’an
Xi’an (ancient name Chang’an, meaning “Perpetual Peace”) served as the capital of China for thirteen dynasties over more than 1,100 years, including the Han (202 BC–220 AD) and Tang (618–907 AD) dynasties. During the Tang Dynasty it was the world’s most populous city with an estimated one million inhabitants, and the eastern terminus of the Silk Road — the trade network stretching to Rome that carried Chinese silk, paper, and gunpowder westward while importing Buddhism, Islam, and Central Asian culture eastward. The arrival of Islam in Xi’an came through these Silk Road connections in the 7th and 8th centuries.
The current city walls date to the early Ming Dynasty, built on foundations of the Tang imperial city. Xi’an declined in importance as China’s political centre shifted to Beijing from the 15th century, but its archaeological significance continues to grow with new discoveries in the surrounding region regularly.
Practical Tips
Xi’an is served by Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (45km) and high-speed rail from Beijing (approximately 4.5 hours). China uses the yuan (renminbi). City wall admission is approximately 54 yuan; Great Mosque entry is 25–75 yuan. The Terracotta Army requires a separate trip by bus from the East Bus Station (approximately 45 minutes, 8 yuan). The Muslim Quarter food streets are most active from late afternoon through evening. English is spoken in most tourist sites.
Best Time to Visit
April–May and September–October offer comfortable temperatures and clear skies. Winter is cold but less crowded; the city walls are striking in snow. Summer is hot (35°C+). The city is very busy during Chinese national holidays.
Watch & Explore More
The full 4K HDR 60fps Bell Tower to Muslim Quarter walk is embedded above. Browse more China content at the @walkingtoursvideoscom channel. Related posts: Beijing’s Forbidden City and hutong walk and Shanghai’s Bund and French Concession walk.