Big Wild Goose Pagoda

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the enduring symbol of Xi'an and one of the great landmarks of the Tang dynasty. Rising 64 metres in seven square brick tiers, it has stood inside the Da Ci'en Temple since 652 AD, when it was built to safeguard the Buddhist sutras and figurines that the monk Xuanzang carried home along the Silk Road from India. Walk through the temple grounds first — courtyards heavy with incense, a hall devoted to Xuanzang's translations — before you reach the tower itself.

Climbing the pagoda

A worn internal staircase spirals to the top, where lattice windows frame the surrounding city and, on a clear day, the distant Qinling mountains. The brickwork mimics timber bracketing, a Tang habit of building in stone what was usually built in wood, which is part of why the pagoda has survived earthquakes that flattened lesser structures.

The squares and fountains

The pagoda anchors a vast modern axis. On the North Square sits Asia's largest musical fountain, free to watch and choreographed to set times each day; the South Square holds a statue of Xuanzang striding back toward Chang'an. By night the whole ensemble — pagoda, temple eaves and water jets — is lit in warm gold.

When to go and getting in

The temple grounds open through the day from around 8:00 to 17:00. One ticket (about 50 RMB) covers the Da Ci'en Temple; climbing the pagoda costs roughly 30 RMB more, paid at the base. The fountain shows usually run around midday and in the evening — check that day's posted schedule, as times shift with the season. Allow two to three hours to combine the temple, the climb and a fountain show.

Practical notes

Late afternoon gives the warmest light on the brick and lets you stay on for the night illumination and an evening fountain show in one visit. The pagoda sits in the south-east of the city, a short ride from the Shaanxi History Museum, so the two pair naturally into one half-day.