The minaret
A Chinese tower.
H2v5o68z — CC0 · Larry Koester — CC BY 2.0 · Ovedc — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom — CC BY 2.0 · Hugh Llewelyn from Keynsham, UK — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Tea4tori — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Will Clayton from Blackburn, UK — CC BY 2.0 · BrokenSphere — CC BY 3.0
One of China's largest and oldest historic mosques, at the eastern end of Xi'an's Muslim Quarter; tradition dates its founding to 742 under the Tang, when the city was the largest in the world, while its present buildings date mostly from 1392 under the Ming. It amazes visitors with its purely Chinese architecture: no domes or Arab-style minarets, but a series of courtyards like a Chinese palace garden, with carved wooden archways, pavilions with curved roofs and a minaret in the form of a two-storey Chinese tower. It spreads across four tree-filled courtyards whose gates and walls bear Qur'anic verses and Arabic decoration alongside Chinese calligraphy, a beautiful blend reflecting Islam's long history in China, and it is still an active place of prayer. Muslims enter free; non-Muslims pay about CNY 25 (15 in winter), 08:00–20:00, without access to the prayer hall, per visitor guides. Modest dress is required, and mornings are calmer.
A Chinese tower.
Tree-filled.
With Chinese.
30 Huajue Lane, Muslim Quarter, Xi'an
Muslim QuarterA historic quarter in the heart of old Xi'an, right behind the Drum Tower, home 5 minutes walk4.3
Bell Tower of Xi'anXi'an's best-known symbol, a massive brick-and-timber tower built in 1384 in the7 minutes walk4.4
Xi'an City WallOne of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Chinese city walls, built under th15 minutes walk4.7
Stele Forest MuseumA unique museum of inscribed stone tablets and sculpture, called the «Forest of 17 minutes walk4.3Yes, for about CNY 25, dressed modestly and without entering the prayer hall; Muslims enter free, per visitor guides.