Xi'an City Wall Half-Day Guide: From Yongning Gate to Hanguang Gate

World Travel 编辑部 · 2026-09-11 · 13 min read

The Xi'an City Wall is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient city walls in China. The wall you see today was extended during the Ming dynasty on the foundations of the Tang imperial city, and its 13.74-kilometre circuit encloses a neat, square old town. For a first-time visitor, walking the wall is the quickest way to understand how Xi'an layers its dynasties on top of one another. This guide suits anyone with half a day who wants to walk from the South Gate to Hanguang Gate and get a clear look at the moat and the gate system along the way.

Itinerary summary

• Suggested time: Half a day. Yongning Gate to Hanguang Gate alone takes about 2 hours; allow 3–4 hours if you also want to visit the Hanguang Gate museum and photograph the moat.
• Suggested route: Climb at Yongning Gate (South Gate) → the crescent-shaped barbican and its museum → the main barbican → the arrow tower → walk west along the wall → Hanguang Gate → Hanguang Gate museum → descend.
• Best for: First-time visitors who want to get a spatial feel for the old city quickly; families with children and photographers.

Getting ready

Opening hours: The scenic area is generally open 8:00–22:00. Major access points such as Yongning Gate (South Gate) stay open until 22:00, while some other gates close at 20:00. Individual gate hours shift with the seasons and events, so check the notice on the day.

Tickets: Adult tickets are 54 CNY, half-price tickets 27 CNY. Seniors, children, visitors with disabilities, active military personnel and their families receive free or discounted entry under the published policy, on presentation of valid ID.

Booking: The site operates a real-name online booking system. Book through the official "Xi'an City Wall Scenic Area" WeChat mini-program, which sells tickets up to seven days ahead. There is no on-site ticket window, so you cannot buy a ticket at the gate — book in advance.

Access points: The wall's four main gates are Yongning Gate (South Gate), Changle Gate (East Gate), Anding Gate (West Gate) and Anyuan Gate (North Gate). For a first visit, start at Yongning Gate, which has the most complete facilities.

Getting there: Metro Line 2 to Yongningmen Station connects underground directly to the South Gate Culture and Rites Plaza — the easiest option.

Enquiries: +86 29 87272792.

What to see

South Gate Culture and Rites Plaza and the drawbridge — You cross the plaza before the drawbridge, which spans the moat; there is a boat dock on the western side. On most mornings the plaza hosts a free warrior-culture performance.

South Gate Culture and Rites Plaza and the Yongning Gate tower

Photo: Will Clayton · 2009-06-13 · Source · CC BY 2.0

The crescent barbican and its museum — Once through the gate you enter the crescent-shaped "moon city", the first defensive enclosure you must pass through. Its museum explains the wall's history and how it was built, and works well as a primer before you climb.

The main barbican and the arrow tower — Further in is the South Gate barbican, which served as the Xi'an venue for CCTV's 2016 Spring Festival Gala. Climbing from the barbican you face the arrow tower; the South Gate arrow tower was destroyed in wartime and rebuilt on the original site in 2013.

The wall-top walkway — The top is wide enough for both pedestrians and cyclists. Battlements and bastions project outward on the outer side, with a low parapet on the inner side. Walking west, the old streets and houses of the city lie on one side and the moat and ring park on the other — the best views on the whole circuit.

Battlements and a corner tower on the outer face of the wall

Photo: monicker · 2010-03-09 · Source · CC BY-SA 3.0

Towers and gates along the way — Several towers and access points punctuate the wall. Changle Gate (East Gate) is the main gate of the eastern wall; the rebel Li Zicheng entered Xi'an through it in the late Ming dynasty. The gate tower and arrow tower here survive in their historic form and are worth a detour beyond the South Gate.

Looking west from the wall top, with towers and the ring park below

Photo: 源義信 · 2023-10-07 · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Hanguang Gate and its museum — Continue west to Hanguang Gate and descend to visit the Hanguang Gate museum, which preserves the remains of the Tang-dynasty gate. It is the clearest place to grasp that there is an older wall beneath the wall you are standing on.

Cycling the full circuit (optional)

If you have more time, rent a bicycle and ride the complete circuit, about 13.74 kilometres. All four main gates have rental and return points, so you can pick up and drop off along the way rather than returning to where you started.

• Single bike: 45 CNY; tandem: 90 CNY. Overtime is charged at 5 CNY (single) / 10 CNY (tandem) per 10 minutes; the exact billing period and deposit follow the notice posted on site.
• After 19:00, bikes can only be rented and returned at the South Gate. Aim to return yours before 21:30.

Practical tips

• There is little shade on the wall top — use sun protection and carry water in summer, and dress for strong wind in winter.
• The brick paving is uneven; wear flat shoes. Strollers are awkward up here.
• For night views, climb in the late afternoon and come down after the wall and moat are lit.

The Yongning Gate tower after dark

Photo: kevinmcgill · 2011-09-15 · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0

• On Thursday to Sunday evenings, "Dream of Chang'an — Grand Tang Welcome Ceremony" is performed near the South Gate. It is a separately ticketed show.
• Toilets, shops and visitor centres cluster around the four main gates, with few facilities between them — prepare before you set off.

About prices and times

The opening hours, ticket prices, booking rules and bicycle rental details above come from the official Xi'an City Wall website and publicly available Xi'an sources. Ticket prices, gate hours and performance schedules can all change, so confirm again before you travel via the official "Xi'an City Wall Scenic Area" mini-program or by calling +86 29 87272792. Suggested durations are editorial recommendations, not official commitments.

Images have been resized and converted to WebP. The city wall photographs are from Wikimedia Commons under CC0 / CC BY / CC BY-SA licences; each image in the article credits the photographer, date and licence.