The Terracotta Army: A Complete Guide Infographics

The Terracotta Army: A Complete Guide Infographics

The Terracotta Army Museum in Xi’an is a must-see. It is considered one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world, and one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century. Find out all about the Terracotta Army: facts, how and why they were made, museum location, tours…

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What to See inside the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum

The museum mainly consists of three vaults and an exhibition hall: Vault One, Vault Two, Vault Three, and The Exhibition Hall of the Bronze Chariots. (Vault one is usually crowded with tourists. According to our experienced guide, the best views are from the front of the vault around the corners. See the Terracotta Army Tourist Map below.)

The vaults are arrayed as the buried army was in strict accordance with the ancient directives on the Art of War: facing east towards the ancient enemies of Qin State (and towards the entrance), with Vault One on the right flank, Vault Two on the left flank, and Vault Three a command post at the rear.

Pit 1 – 2,000 Warriors Displayed

Pit 1 is the largest and most impressive – the size of an airplane hangar. It is believed to contain over 6,000 terracotta figures of soldiers and horses, but less than 2,000 are on display. All the most impressive Terracotta Army pictures were taken in Pit 1.

All soldiers and horses face east in a rectangular array, each one either armed long spear, dragger or halberd. The vanguard appears to be three rows of infantry who stand at the easternmost end of the army. Close behind is the main force of armored soldiers holding weapons, accompanied by 38 horse-driven chariots.

On the southern, northern, and western side there stand one row of figures serving as the army’s defense wing. Standing in front of such a grand ancient army array, one would feel the ground shake to the footsteps of the advancing soldiers.

Every figure differs in facial features and expression, clothing, hairstyle, and gestures, providing abundant and detailed artifacts for the study of the military, cultural, and economic history of that period.

This vault opened to visitors in 1979. It measures about 210 meters long and 62 meters wide and the bottom of the pit varies from 4.5 meters to 6.5 meters below ground level. Ten earthen walls were built at intervals of 2.5 meters, forming 9 circling corridors.

Pit 2 – Uncovers the Mystery of the Ancient Army Array

Excavated in 1976, Pit 2 stands about 20 meters north to Pit 1. As the highlight of the whole mausoleum, it uncovers the mystery of the ancient army array. It consists of four units, measuring 94 meters east to west and 84 meters south to north and 5 meters deep., forming a 6000 sq. meter built-up area.

The first unit contains rows of kneeling and standing archers; the second one is a chariot war array; the third unit consists of mixed forces with infantry, chariot and trooper standing in rectangular array; and the last one includes numerous troopers holding weapons. The four units form a rigorous battle array.

Pit 3 – Represents the Command Post

Vault Three is the smallest one. There are only 68 terracotta figures, many of which are without heads. It’s obvious that Vault Three represents the command post, as all the figures are officials.

The Exhibition of Bronze Chariots

The two bronze carriages displayed in the hall were discovered 20 meters from the west side of the Tomb of Qin Shihuang in December 1980, and were elaborately restored before exhibition.

The carriages have about 3,400 parts each and were driven by four horses. The second one is 3.17meters long and 1.06 meters high. The bronze horses vary from 65 cm to 67 cm high and 120 cm long. Each weighs 1,234 kg in total.

They were mainly made of bronze, but there were 1,720 pieces of golden and silver ornaments, weighting 7 kg, on each carriage. The carriages were so well-made, and so vivid, that they boast being the best-preserved and having the highest rank among the earliest known bronze relics in China. These chariots are the biggest pieces of ancient bronzeware ever found in the world.

How to Book Terracotta Army Tickets?

The Terracotta Army Museum has carried out real-name ticketing to control tourist traffic. People can book a ticket through its offical website.

the maximum number of visitors to the Terracotta Army each day is no more than 8,000.

Tickets are in high demand. If you want to visit it, booking in advance is recommended.

We have developed some beyond ordinary activities in Xi’an, including to discover a mysterious place to have a close experience with a Terracotta Warrior. Contact us if you want to add these activities to your itinerary.