Muslim Quarters, Xi'an

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The minaret is actually called the Introspection Tower and is used for calling Muslims to pray. Unlike most mosques in Middle Eastern or Arab countries, the Great Mosque doesn't feature traditional-style tall minarets but instead has this single two-storey, octagonal tower.

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When you first enter into the Great Mosque complex, you'll come pass this amazing wooden memorial archway. It was built in the 17th century and features special up-turned eaves, many layers of brackets and glazed roof tiles.

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This street stretches northwards from the Drum Tower into the city's main Muslim area which includes one of the city's best attractions - The Great Mosque. The street is paved with dark coloured stone with green trees providing shade during summer; the buildings on both sides of the street are modelled on the styles of both the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasties (1644-1911). Some of the constructions are restaurants; while others are stores. It is said that foreign diplomatic envoys and merchants lived here, then they married and had children, so gradually the population increased. Today, most of the inhabitants of this area descendants of those immigrants.

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The Muslim Quarters seems to be very popular because the main street entrance is right next to the drum and bell towers.
The main street offers restaurants, which become very busy and crowded at lunch and dinner time, dried fruit stalls and a covered market that sells everything from the cheap tacky souvenirs to the fake watches, bags and clothing.
Anne and I wandered around the Muslim Quarter, and to be honest, I was pretty bored with the place very quickly.

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Vendor Street, in the Muslim Quarters, is really a small covered alley which leads you away from the main street. The market is approx 300 meters long offers you just about any fake, cheap and nasty souvenir that you can think of.

Fake Rolex watches, brand name handbags, polo shirts, pens, birds and fake antiques are all on offer her. Just remember to haggle for a good price as a starting price of 200 Yuan can often be purchased for 30 Yuan!

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In the shadows of the drum tower you have access Vendor Street in the Muslim Quarters. A small alley leads you away from the main street and into a covered market known as Vendor Street. Approx 150 meters along this market you can turn left into a narrow passageway that has a small sign saying “the Great Mosque” (It is not that easy to find!)

The mosque certainly does not look or feel much like a traditional mosque; in fact it is very Chinese in all aspects of its design, including a pagoda.

When Anne and I visited there was a Muslim funeral taking place. The men were outside a room, sitting in the shade, while the women were around the body that was draped in a white sheet. Anne and I did not know where to look and we felt very uncomfortable being there so, out of respect, we decided to head to the other end of the grounds.

Entry was 20 Yuan each in July 2008.

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Xi'an's Muslim quarter was my highlight - I loved it.
You wind through the narrow cobbled streets, looking into the small shops and tea rooms, then you come to the Muslim Market; named that because it's in the Muslim quarter. They sell lots of different tourist gifts, dried fruits, spices etc on the market. It makes a great day out.

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We went to see the Mosque ,which did not look anything like a Middle Eastern style mosque, and then we walked around the little streets of the quarter, where you see people wearing Muslim style clothes, and selling Muslim street food. It was about the dirtiest place we went in China, and we did not dare eat anything there.But it was colourful, and we were especially interested in the fact that every tree seemed to have a little bird cage hanging on it,and the little song birds could be heard piping away.