# Great Mosque of Xi’an > The Great Mosque of Xi’an is a working mosque built like a Chinese temple — four courtyards, a pagoda for a minaret and shady gardens — tucked into Huajue Lane, 5–10 minutes from the Drum Tower. Entry is ¥25 (¥15 in winter), free for Muslims. Open daily from 8:00 into the evening; avoid Friday midday. Allow 45–60 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-great-mosque - City: [Xi’an](https://yesgo.io/china/xian), China - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Admission: ¥25 March–November, ¥15 December–February; free for Muslims - Children: Under 1.2 m free - Hours: Daily from 8:00; closing 18:40–20:00 depending on source, around 18:00 in winter - Closed: No weekly closing day - Fridays: Congregational prayer around midday; visitors may be kept out then - Prayer hall: Muslims only — others view it from the terrace - Dress: Shoulders and knees covered; headscarf not required for non-Muslim women - Metro: Lines 2 and 6, Zhonglou (Bell Tower), then 10–15 min on foot; Guangjijie on Line 6 is closer - Tickets: At the window by the gate — no booking needed - Payment: Cash in yuan, or Alipay / WeChat Pay with a linked foreign card - Address: 30 Huajue Lane, Lianhu District (化觉巷30号) - Time needed: 45–60 minutes - Coordinates: 34.26339, 108.93666 - Facts checked: 04.11.2026 ## Key facts - **742** — traditional founding date, under the Tang emperor Xuanzong (source: English Wikipedia; TravelChinaGuide; China Travel) - **1392** — most of today's complex built under the Ming Hongwu Emperor (source: English Wikipedia; China For Travelers) - **4 courtyards** — laid out one after another from east to west, ending at the prayer hall facing Mecca (source: TravelChinaGuide; China Travel; English Wikipedia) - **≈ 12,000 m²** — the size of the complex — about 1.2 hectares (source: English Wikipedia; TravelChinaGuide; China Travel) - **1,000** — worshippers fit in the prayer hall (source: English Wikipedia; TravelChinaGuide) - **1956** — protected as a Shaanxi provincial heritage site (source: English Wikipedia; China Travel) - **1988** — listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (source: English Wikipedia; China Travel) - **≈ 9 m** — height of the tiled wooden archway in the first courtyard (source: TravelChinaGuide; China Travel) - **3 storeys** — on the octagonal Shengxin Tower (省心楼), which stands in for a minaret (source: English Wikipedia; China For Travelers) - **≈ 0.6 km** — in a straight line from the Bell Tower (source: Wikipedia and Wikidata coordinates) ## Great Mosque of Xi’an tickets and opening hours Non-Muslim visitors pay **¥25 from March to November and ¥15 from December to February**; Muslims get in free. TravelChinaGuide, China Travel, Chinatripedia and the Shaanxi government's tourism listing all agree on these prices. Children under 1.2 m are free, and Chinatripedia notes there's no senior discount. Student prices vary by source (¥12 or ¥15). The mosque **opens daily at 8:00**, but closing times differ. TravelChinaGuide and the Shaanxi listing say 19:00, sometimes 20:00 in summer; China For Travelers says 20:00 with last entry at 19:00; Trip.com and Wikivoyage give 18:40. Winter closing is around 18:00. We couldn't open an official timetable, so treat all of this as unofficial and aim to arrive by 17:30. Buy your ticket at the window beside the gate — there's nothing to book in advance. Bring small yuan notes: cash is legal tender everywhere, and Alipay or WeChat Pay with a linked Visa or Mastercard covers most other payments in China. We couldn't confirm which methods the ticket window itself accepts, so cash is the safe bet. > **A working mosque: Fridays and prayer times** Prayers are held five times a day, and on **Friday around midday** the courtyards fill for congregational prayer. One guide says visitors aren't admitted before 13:00 on Fridays; others only advise avoiding midday — we found no official word either way. Go on another day if you can, or on a Friday before 11:00 or after 14:00. Don't photograph people praying. ## How to get to the Great Mosque of Xi’an 1. Start at the **Bell Tower**: **Zhonglou** metro station (钟楼) is the interchange for **Lines 2 and 6**. Exits come up around the roundabout; guides quote different exit letters, so follow the signs for the square between the two towers. 2. Cross the square to the **[Drum Tower](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-bell-and-drum-towers)** — about 300 m, 5 minutes. The roundabout can only be crossed through the underpasses. 3. Walk north through the passage in the Drum Tower's base onto **Beiyuanmen** (北院门), the main food street of the Muslim Quarter. 4. Almost immediately, **turn left (west) into narrow Huajue Lane** (化觉巷), lined with souvenir and antique stalls. Don't carry on up Beiyuanmen — the mosque isn't on the food street. 5. Follow the lane and the blue 清真大寺 signs for about 5 minutes to the gate and ticket window. From the Bell Tower it's 10–15 minutes in all, about 600 m as the crow flies. 6. Alternative: Line 6 to **Guangjijie** (广济街) on West Street, then 5–10 minutes north through the lanes (unofficial, from guides). 7. From Xianyang Airport (XIY): **Line 14** to Xi'an North, then **Line 2** south to Zhonglou — 75–90 minutes in total; or the airport shuttle bus to the Bell Tower, 70–90 minutes. 8. By taxi or DiDi, show 化觉巷清真大寺 and ask to be dropped at the Drum Tower — the lanes beyond are pedestrian. DiDi runs in English inside Alipay with a foreign card. ## Is the Great Mosque of Xi’an worth visiting? Yes, if you're already in the old centre. It's one of China's oldest and best-known mosques, five minutes from the Drum Tower, cheap to enter, and unlike anything else in Xi’an: an Islamic place of worship built entirely in **Chinese temple style**, with timber halls, carved archways, stone steles and a pagoda instead of a minaret. Arabic inscriptions sit beside Chinese calligraphy. It's also a calm escape. A few steps from the crowds on the food streets, the courtyards are shaded by old trees and surprisingly quiet. **Most people need 45–60 minutes**; calligraphy fans and photographers may want 90. Skip it if you have a single day in Xi’an and the [Terracotta Army](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/terracotta-army) comes first — or if you've seen the old mosques of Beijing and are short of time. And don't go at Friday midday: you'll mostly see closed doors and the backs of worshippers. ## What to see: the four courtyards - **First courtyard** — just inside the east entrance: a garden and a 9 m wooden archway (paifang) roofed in glazed tiles. - **Second courtyard** — a stone arch and two steles. Their calligraphy is traditionally credited to the masters Mi Fu and Dong Qichang, though that's legend rather than proven fact. - **Third courtyard** — the **Shengxin Tower** (省心楼, “Tower for Examining the Heart”), a three-storey octagonal timber pavilion that serves as the minaret, ringed by old steles, some in Arabic. - **Phoenix Pavilion** (凤凰亭) in the fourth courtyard — a hexagonal gazebo with upswept eaves on the way to the prayer hall. - **Prayer hall** at the far end — under a blue-green tiled roof on a raised terrace, holding around a thousand worshippers. Non-Muslims look in from the terrace but don't enter. - **Gardens between the courtyards** — trees, flower beds and benches; for many visitors the quiet is the highlight. > **Dress code and etiquette** Cover shoulders and knees — men and women alike: no shorts, vests or short skirts. Non-Muslim women don't need a headscarf, according to Wikivoyage, but a light scarf does no harm. Don't bring in food containing pork, even street snacks. Stay out of the prayer hall, keep your voice down, and never photograph people at prayer. ## A short history Tradition dates the mosque to **742**, when Xi’an — then Chang’an — was the Tang capital and the eastern end of the Silk Road, home to merchants from Persia and Arabia. Nothing of the Tang buildings survives, so 742 is tradition rather than the date of anything you'll see. According to English Wikipedia, the Yuan rebuilt it around the 1260s, and its present form is largely **Ming**: according to the Records of Xi’an Municipality, the main buildings went up in 1392 under the Hongwu Emperor, with Qing additions later. It has been reconstructed at least four times. It became a Shaanxi provincial heritage site in 1956 and a national one in 1988. It still serves the local **Hui** community, Chinese-speaking Muslims who have lived in this quarter for centuries — which is why it's called the Great Mosque rather than a museum. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Not going at Friday midday - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered - [ ] ¥25 in cash, or Alipay with a foreign card - [ ] 化觉巷清真大寺 saved for a taxi driver - [ ] Remember: left off Beiyuanmen into Huajue Lane - [ ] No pork snacks in my bag ## Xi’an's places of worship compared Mosques, temples and pagodas in Xi’an rated by YesGo. - [Great Mosque of Xi’an](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-great-mosque) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥25, ¥15 in winter; Muslims free - [Giant Wild Goose Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/giant-wild-goose-pagoda) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥10; pagoda climb ≈ ¥25 extra - [Small Wild Goose Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/small-wild-goose-pagoda) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, advance booking with passport - [Mount Hua](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/mount-hua) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ¥160; cable cars ¥80–140 extra ## Central Xi’an in half a day The Bell and Drum Towers, Huajue Lane and the mosque, lunch in the Muslim Quarter and sunset on the city wall. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Bell and Drum Towers](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-bell-and-drum-towers) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥30 per tower, ¥50 for both 2. [Great Mosque of Xi’an](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-great-mosque) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · ¥25, ¥15 in winter; Muslims free 3. [Muslim Quarter](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-muslim-quarter) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free, open 24 hours 4. [Xi’an City Wall](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-city-wall) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ¥54, bike ¥45 / 3 hours > **Go in the morning** Mornings are calmer in the courtyards and in Huajue Lane than evenings, when the whole quarter heads for the food streets, and the soft light suits the archways and tower. Mosque first, then lunch in the Muslim Quarter, works best. ## Good to know The Muslim Quarter has several mosques. The Daxuexi Lane Mosque (大学习巷清真寺) is a different one, about 600–700 m away, and it's the one that turns up in many short videos. This page covers the ticketed Great Mosque at 30 Huajue Lane. Don't expect to find it on Beiyuanmen itself — it's tucked into the lane behind the stalls. ## Tips - Avoid Friday around midday — that's congregational prayer. - From the Drum Tower, turn left into Huajue Lane rather than walking straight up the food street. - Carry ¥25 in small notes: the ticket window is at the gate, no booking needed. - Cover shoulders and knees, and keep a light scarf in your bag. - Look at the prayer hall from the terrace — non-Muslims don't go inside. - Haggle in Huajue Lane: souvenir prices in the stalls aren't fixed. - Afterwards, eat in the [Muslim Quarter](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-muslim-quarter) and catch sunset on the [city wall](https://yesgo.io/china/xian/xian-city-wall). ## Questions ### How much is the Great Mosque of Xi’an entrance fee? ¥25 from March to November and ¥15 from December to February. Muslims and children under 1.2 m enter free. ### What are the opening hours? Daily from 8:00. Sources give closing times from 18:40 to 20:00, earlier in winter — arrive by 17:30 to be safe. ### How do I get to the Great Mosque of Xi’an? Metro Line 2 or 6 to Zhonglou, walk to the Drum Tower, go through it onto Beiyuanmen and turn left into Huajue Lane. About 10–15 minutes. ### Can non-Muslims visit the Great Mosque? Yes, the courtyards and gardens are open with a ticket. The prayer hall is for Muslims only. ### Is the Great Mosque open on Fridays? Yes, but midday is congregational prayer, and one guide says visitors are only admitted from 13:00. Pick another day if you can. ### Is there a dress code? Cover shoulders and knees — no shorts or vests. Non-Muslim women don't need a headscarf. ### How long do you need at the Great Mosque? 45–60 minutes; up to 90 if you linger over the steles and gardens. ### Why does it look like a Chinese temple? It was built by Chinese craftsmen in Chinese style: timber halls, archways and steles, with a pagoda-like tower as the minaret. ### Is it the same as the mosque on Daxuexi Lane? No. Daxuexi Lane Mosque is a separate mosque about 600–700 m away. The Great Mosque is at 30 Huajue Lane. ## How we checked We found no official website for the mosque; the Shaanxi government listing wouldn't load, so we saw it only in search excerpts, and Trip.com blocks automated access — so all practical details are marked checking. The ¥25 / ¥15 prices agree across five sources. Hours vary: 8:00–19:00 (to 20:00 in summer) from TravelChinaGuide and the Shaanxi listing, 8:00–20:00 with last entry 19:00 from China For Travelers and East China Trip, 8:00–18:40 from Trip.com and Wikivoyage, 9:00–18:30 from Chinatripedia and 9:00–20:00 from China Highlights; we show the 8:00 opening and the range of closing times. The Friday 13:00 rule appears in only one guide, and China For Travelers says accounts differ. Student prices (¥12 or ¥15) disagree, so they're left out of the table. English Wikipedia mentions both four and five courtyards; we follow TravelChinaGuide, China Travel and China Highlights with four. Guides give the prayer hall as 600 or 1,300 m², and different metro exit letters (B, C, D), so we give neither. The distance comes from Wikipedia coordinates. The English core comes from search results and related questions. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Great Mosque of Xi'an — founding, rebuilds, courtyards, prayer hall, heritage listings - Wikidata Q820842 — coordinates - Shaanxi Provincial Government English portal, Great Mosque (seen in search excerpts): seasonal prices, 8:00–19:00 - TravelChinaGuide, Great Mosque (updated 22 Jul 2026): prices, hours, four courtyards, archway, prayer hall capacity - China For Travelers, Great Mosque Xi’an (updated 24 Aug 2026): hours, ticket window, route via Huajue Lane, Fridays, Daxuexi Lane Mosque - China Travel, Xi'an Great Mosque (2021): prices, history, area, courtyards - Chinatripedia and China Highlights: prices, children under 1.2 m, dress, metro, time needed - Wikivoyage, Xi'an: hours, dress, no headscarf required; Trip.com (search excerpt): hours - English Wikipedia: Line 6 (Xi'an Metro) — Zhonglou and Guangjijie stations - YesGo's China and Xi’an notes: payments, airport metro, distances --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.