The Terracotta Warriors

The Terracotta Warriors. WOW. What can I say, winter is clearly the time to come as it is really quiet with very few tourist in evidence ;) We arrive at a practically empty car park and are let straight into the site by security with just a glance at tickets and ID. (Cost of trip through hostel 220Y/£22 but you can get a bus here and do it independently by hiring a guide on site, however, our guide was simply wonderful and really made the most of the exhibits with her extensive knowledge of the site and history - all we needed to do was follow the flower). We walk around the three pits from pit 2 to pit 3 and then to pit 1 (The largest and most impressive) So if you come make sure that you save pit one till last or it could lead to it being a little bit of an anti-climax… Pit 2 houses some excavations which are in the shape of a large L and there is also an example of each type of warrior in glass cabinets (Our guide loves the ‘Magic Archer’ so named due to finding him in one piece and with some original paint intact!!), however, I have to say I loved the horses, they were incredibly detailed and their faces were a simple joy. (The types of warrior included: Archer (Standing/kneeling), Officer, General, Horseman). They are all roughly 1.8m tall and detailed on the people who made them with each face slightly different from the last - an awe-inspiring site when you enter pit one and see the vast numbers of warriors found - and there are still many more to find (8000 to date and counting!!)…
We are also whisked for a whistle stop visit to the emperors tomb which is a mound of earth/clay reaching towards the sky and dwarfing its surroundings (all hand built!). It is hoped to open this in the future but it has very high levels of mercury in the soil here…
There is also a 360 degree video display rotating in Chinese and English which takes you through the history of the construction and discovery of the warriors. It is fantastic to have the warriors charge at and then around you!!! And you constantly have to turn your head around to see what is happening behind you! Simply an amazing design showing real thought for detail and making you feel immersed in history. Highly Recommended, but try to avoid the summer when crowds will detract from the experience). One bugbear about the site was that because it is so cold they sell fur openly and they had full ‘Alsatian’ skins among others hung up for sale… If you are not prepared it can shock western tourists.