Day 54 of 111. Xi’an City Wall, China

In the city, the city wall dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1300 A.D.). It has been modified and restored over the years, but it is amazingly intact. It is a huge wall with a top surface that is large enough to stroll or even bike (you can rent bikes on top of the wall). Large buildings mark four spots on the wall. Originally, there were only two gates into and out of the wall for protection, but over the years, more openings were added for traffic. Part of the city is inside the wall and the buildings are designed to blend with the older Chinese style. Outside the walls, the buildings are taller and much like the high rise buildings we have seen in the other cities.

I still enjoy looking at the shapes and designs of the traditional architecture. Just below the wall where we were standing are several sculptures of camels and people with the camels. This is a reminder that Xi’an is the beginning of the Silk Road that traveled through the Gobi Desert and needed camels to succeed. We later passed by the wall at night. Each edge of the wall is lined with lights and special light displays mark the main gates. Our guides tell us that the lights are on all year.