Qianling Mausoleum Scenic Area, Shaanxi province

Qianling Mausoleum Scenic Area (乾陵景区qián líng jǐng qū)

Address: Qianxian county, Xianyang city, Shaanxi province
Scenic spot level: 5A
Opening hours:
- Off-season (Dec 1 - End of February): 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Peak season (March 1 - Nov 30): 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Contact: +86 029-35510222
Ticket price:
- Off-season: 80 yuan ($11)
- Peak season: 100 yuan

Notes:
1. Children under 1.2 meters, children aged 6 and under, seniors over 65, people with disabilities, and journalists can enter for free with valid ID.
2. Minors under 18 and students (undergraduate or lower) with valid IDs can enter at half price.

Located 6 kilometers north of Qianxian county in Northwest China's Shaanxi province and about 76 kilometers from Xi'an, the provincial capital, Qianling Mausoleum serves as the joint burial site of Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi) and Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Renowned as the best-preserved and most artistically significant of Shaanxi's 18 Tang imperial tombs, Qianling Mausoleum stands as a testament to the grandeur of the Tang era.

Constructed during the peak of the Tang Dynasty, the mausoleum is vast in scale and impressive in design, modeled after the layout of Chang'an, the Tang capital. The site comprises an inner city, an outer city, and an auxiliary burial area. The inner city spans 2.3 million square meters, while the outer city covers an 80-li (approximately 40 km) perimeter, featuring four main gates: Qinglong, Baihu, Zhuque, and Xuanwu. Among its original 378 structures, the most iconic elements are the more than 100 stone sculptures outside Zhuque Gate. These include the characterless stele, the Shushengji Stele, and stone lions, earning Qianling the reputation "the open-air stone sculpture museum of the Tang Dynasty".

Additionally, 17 auxiliary tombs lie southeast of Qianling Mausoleum. Excavations conducted between 1960 and 1972 unearthed five tombs, revealing a treasure trove of artifacts, including Tang tri-colored glazed ceramics, exquisite stone carvings, and mural paintings. Of these, the tombs of Princess Yongtai, Crown Prince Zhanghuai, and Crown Prince Yide are open to the public, with Princess Yongtai's tomb standing out as the most representative. The Qianling Museum, established in 1978, showcases Tang Dynasty artifacts and murals, offering a glimpse into the opulence and cultural brilliance of the Tang era.