Us2tm #4 Terracotta Army of Xi'an

One of the most impressive things so far has been our visit to the terracotta army of Xi'an.

The Terracottas were discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

Estimates from 2007 were that the three pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses.

Before we went to Xi'an we talked with some people about our plan to visit it. They all told us to do the tour the other way around. Start with Pit nr. 3 and finish off with Pit Nr. 1

So we did and the pictures are the result of a stunning day!

Pit Nr.3 was the first one we visited. It is the smallest, but very important. Size 21 x 17 m. There are only 68 terracotta figures, and all of them are officials. It represents the command post.

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Pit two is the highlight of the pits. It's about 96 x 84 m and uncovers the mystery of the ancient army array. It has the most army units with archers, chariots, mixed forces, and cavalry.

And just when you think you've seen it all.. Pit one! It is the largest and most impressive pit. Its about 230 x 60 m, the size of an airplane hangar. There are over 6,000 terracotta figures of soldiers and horses, but less than 2,000 are on display.