Asia / History

Terracotta Warriors

An emperor's army, preserved in earth and assembled figure by figure.

Rows of warriors in the excavated burial complexPhoto credits →

Summary

The Terracotta Warriors are sculpted figures made for the burial complex of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, near Xi’an. Soldiers, horses and associated remains preserve an army intended for the imperial afterlife.

An army built for the afterlife becomes an extraordinary record of craft and imperial power. Individual faces and restoration details give humanity to an overwhelming collective image.

1–100 · The Original 100

The essentials

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Allow time

Half to one full day

Choose a base

Xi'an

Getting there

Reach Xi'an by air or high-speed rail, then travel east towards Lintong using an authorised tour, driver or confirmed public-transport connection. Allow enough time for the return through the city.

Plan ahead

Book through official museum channels where required and carry your passport. A guide or reliable audio interpretation helps distinguish ranks, pits and reconstruction work. Follow all photography and conservation instructions.

Guide edited 29 September 2026. About practical information

A closer look

Why it stays with you

The army dates to the late third century BC and was brought to modern attention after local farmers discovered remains in 1974. Archaeological work revealed soldiers, horses and other elements of a much larger burial landscape. The figures were originally painted; the familiar earthen appearance is not how the army was intended to look.

This is an active conservation story as well as a monumental display. Broken fragments must be documented and assembled, while surviving pigments are fragile. Viewing different pits and supporting exhibits helps explain that painstaking work and places the soldiers within the Qin state's enormous ambition and resources.

Background reading: Terracotta Army.

The scope of this entry

What’s included.

The scale of the main excavation hall
Differences in faces, armour and rank
The restoration work behind the assembled figures

Make this the moment

The essential experience.

Move from the broad view of the main pit to close study of the figures and their differing roles.

Alex’s journey · VisitedFollow the journey →

Understand the wonder

An army made for an afterlife.

The figures belong to the wider mausoleum complex of China's first emperor. Their power comes from both mass and variation: ranks of soldiers form an organised force, while armour, hairstyles and poses distinguish roles. The surviving earthen colours can obscure the fact that the figures were originally painted. Excavation and conservation are continuing processes, which makes the site as much a place of archaeological work as a display of finished objects.

Continue the background reading in the reference links below.

Terracotta soldiers seen at closer rangePhoto: see source · CC BY-SA 3.0

Slow down. Notice more.

Look for this.

LOOK 1

Differences in armour and headgear.

LOOK 2

The organisation of ranks within the pits.

LOOK 3

Evidence of reconstruction and conservation.

Beyond the familiar view

Look for difference within the ranks.

The first impression of the Terracotta Warriors is their number. A closer look invites attention to posture, clothing and the relationship between individual figures and the larger formation. The excavation setting is part of the story: what can be seen is the result of investigation and conservation, not a fully recovered army presented all at once.

The choice that changes the visit

Give interpretation and the different exhibition spaces time. Xi'an is the practical base, but reaching the museum area remains a separate outing.

Follow the background and visitor sources →

Terracotta horses excavated in the third pit — Terracotta horses in Pit 3Photo: Gary Todd · CC0

A sense of place

In pictures

Eight perspectives. Select any photograph for a closer look.

Archaeological excavation inside the main hallPhoto: Zossolino · CC BY-SA 4.0

The museum entrance near Xi’anPhoto: Charlie · CC BY-SA 4.0

An elevated view of the warriors in Pit OnePhoto: Maros M r a z (Maros) · CC BY-SA 3.0

The armour of a terracotta generalPhoto: shankar s. from Dubai, united arab emirates · CC BY 2.0

Traces of colour on the excavated figuresPhoto: Lindy Buckley · CC BY 2.0

Pigments associated with the terracotta warriorsPhoto: Charlie · CC BY-SA 4.0

Stay a little longer

There is more
to the picture.

Open the complete Terracotta Warriors gallery for 16 photographs, including further perspectives beyond this guide.

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From inspiration to itinerary

Plan your visit

Sources & useful visitor links

Before you set off.

Confirm the precise site, circuit or activity and its current entry arrangements.Check every transfer, the final approach and the last realistic return.Read current local conditions and the access information for my chosen route.Save tickets and essential contact details, and allow an alternative plan.Your ticks stay in this browser. Use the official visitor and reference links below →.

Through the seasons

Get your bearings

A place in the world.

China

A place in the world

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Map: Natural Earth

Terracotta Army. 34.38° N, 109.27° E. Location reference.

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A closer view

The places within the place.

Selected sights and gateways to help you understand the area.

3 selected places

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1
Terracotta ArmyOpen directions ↗ · Location reference ↗
2
Xi'anOpen directions ↗ · Location reference ↗
3
Mausoleum of the First Qin EmperorOpen directions ↗ · Location reference ↗

A wide spread of points usually means separate outings or bases. Use current local guidance for the route between them. Report a map issue ↗

Go a little deeper

Combine it with…

Beijing and the Great Wall establish the imperial scale; Xi’an’s terracotta army and Leshan’s Buddha offer very different monumental responses to power and belief.

China · Culture

Terracotta Warriors

Summary