Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

It was built in 652 by the hierarch Xuanzang. It is said that Xuanzang traveled through the Silk Road from Chang’an (now Xian) to India, where he learnt and preached Buddhism. 17 years later he came back with many volumes of sutras, figures and relics of Buddha. For better preserve these, Emperor Gaozong permitted him to built the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. At first, the pagoda was only five-story, after the remedy during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian it came to the current size. The Wild Goose Pagoda is now 64 meters (about 210 feet) high, with a square base of 45 meters (about 147.6 ft) long. Murals and steles preserved in the pagoda are treasures of Chinese art. Visitors can climb to the top by stairs inside. Standing on the top floor, visitors can overlook the beautiful landscape of Xian as well as the marvelous scenery of South Hill.