Tomb of Qin Shi Huang

Xi'an


In its time this tomb must have been one of the grandest mausoleums the world had ever seen. Historical accounts describe it as containing palaces filled with precious stones, underground rivers of mercury and ingenious defences against intruders. The tomb reputedly took 38 years to complete, and required a workforce of 700,000 people. It is said that the artisans who built it were buried alive within, taking its secrets with them.

Archaeologists have yet to enter the tomb but probes and sensors have been sent inside. Levels of mercury inside exceed 100 times normal concentrations, adding credence to some of the legends. Since little has been excavated there isn’t much to see but you can climb the steps to the top of the 76m-high mound for a fine view of the surrounding countryside.

The Terracotta Warriors bus from Xi'an train station stops at the tomb, which is 2km west of the warriors.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Xi'an attractions

1. Army of Terracotta Warriors

1.45 MILES

The Terracotta Army isn't just Xi'an's premier sight: it's one of the most famous archaeological finds in the world. This subterranean life-size army of…

2. Huaqing Hot Springs

7.3 MILES

The natural hot springs in this park were once the favoured retreat of emperors and concubines during the Tang dynasty. It’s now an obligatory stop for…

3. Banpo Neolithic Village

18.22 MILES

Banpo is the earliest example of the Neolithic Yangshao culture, which is believed to have been matriarchal. It appears to have been occupied from 4500 BC…

4. Tomb of Emperor Jingdi

19.46 MILES

This tomb, also referred to as the Han Jing Mausoleum, Liu Qi Mausoleum and Yangling Mausoleum, is the burial place of the Han-dynasty emperor Jingdi (188…

5. Temple of the Eight Immortals

20.14 MILES

Xi'an’s largest Taoist temple dates from the Song dynasty and is still an active place of worship. Supposedly built on the site of an ancient wine shop,…

6. Forest of Stelae Museum

21.8 MILES

Housed in Xi'an’s Confucius Temple, this museum holds more than 1000 stone stelae (inscribed tablets), including the nine Confucian classics and some…

7. Bell Tower

21.94 MILES

Occupying a central place at the frantic bulls-eye intersection of Xi Dajie, Dong Dajie, Bei Dajie and Nan Dajie, the domineering form of the Bell Tower…

8. Muslim Quarter

22.1 MILES

The backstreets leading north from the Drum Tower have been home to the city’s Hui community (non-Uyghur Chinese Muslims) for centuries, perhaps as far…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "china/shaanxi-shanxi/xian/attractions/tomb-of-qin-shi-huang/a/poi-sig/1239391/356065",
      "destination": "Xi'an",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "China",
      "city": "Xi'an",
      "position": "superzone"
    }