If you traveling to China, chances are you are going to visit Xi'an. The marvelous Terracotta Warriors needs little introduction; and also, bike riding on the ancient City Wall is always on the must-do lists for every travelers in Xian.
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First a little background. Just like the Great Wall, the Xi'an City Wall was originally built for defense, with watchtowers and even a deep moat and drawbridges. Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), enlarge the wall built initially during the Tang dynasty (618 -907), creating the modern Xi'an City Wall.
The City Wall now stands 12 meters (40 feet) high, 12-14 meters (40-46 feet) wide at the top and 15-18 meters (50-60 feet) thick at the bottom. The wall length is about 13.7 kilometers or 8.5 miles. Walking is an option; but biking is the best way to explore the historic site. There are several Bike Rental stations along the way; thus, it is quite convenient to rent a bike at one section and drop it off at another. You can bike around the entire wall in 1-2 hours or just part of it as you like.
Cycling on the City Wall can be done during the day or as an evening activity as the wall has lights. There are 19 city gates, all open for tourists to ascend the wall. The top of the wall is quite wide, and for the most part, fairly flat and easy to traverse. On the way you can stop at various viewpoints and enjoy a great view of the city. It's amazing that a contrast of old and new building can be seen on either side.
The wall itself is adorned with the old China accouterments. And to help visitors feel even more old-timey, a few guards dressed in ancient Chinese costumes. But one sure thing, ancient Chinese had never done like this. How amazing it is to ridie on a modern bike around the ancient city wall.
