The Terracotta Warrior Army near Xi’an may be one of China’s biggest tourist destinations, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has long been on the list of world wonders and, to some, is more impressive than China’s other massive feat of engineering: The Great Wall.

Most China holidays and tours include several days in Xi’an for visitors to take in the wonder of the Terracotta Warrior Army, which was built by the first emperor of China - Qin Shi Huang - sometime around 245 B.C. and was intended as a funeral decoration. Apparently, Qin Shi Huang was a narcissistic and insecure emperor who wanted to guarantee his ruling of the afterlife. So he built a massive army to escort him on.

The warrior army was discovered in the 1970s. While some local farmers were attempting to drill a well, they stumbled upon what would become one of the world’s most astounding archaeological discoveries. Over the past 40 years, careful work has been done to slowly dig out the warrior army, which remains largely intact and includes standing soldiers, horses, chariots and weapons.

Every year, millions of domestic Chinese and international tourists visit the Terracotta Warrior Army, which is located on the outskirts of Xi’an in central China. Tours of the Terracotta Warriors are given daily and include a visit to all three of the uncovered pits, as well as a small museum where a number of recovered artifacts are on display, giving visitors an up-close look at the warrior’s faces and outfits, each of which are unique. Visiting the largest pit is by far the most astounding, as a building the size of an airplane hangar has been constructed around the pit, which is completely full of life-sized warriors standing in straight rows.

Typical Terracotta Warrior tours last about two hours and included a guided English explanation of the historical significance and archaeological discovery of the Terracotta Army. Inside the largest pit, it is not uncommon to see scientists working diligently to brush away dust and uncover still more of the Terracotta Army. Some archaeologists believe there are even more pits that have yet to be found.