Small Wild Goose Pagoda

Built between 707 and 709 to house sutras brought back from India by the monk Yijing, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda originally had fifteen storeys; an earthquake in the sixteenth century took the top two, leaving the thirteen that stand now with a blunt finish. Local record holds that earlier quakes split the structure from top to bottom and that a later one closed the crack again, a story taken as evidence of its foundation design. It stands in the quiet grounds of the Jianfu temple among old trees, with a large morning bell, and the Xi'an Museum sits in the same garden with the city's collections.

What you actually see

• The blunt-topped pagoda - thirteen storeys after the earthquake loss.
• The temple gardens - old trees and quiet grounds around it.
• The morning bell - the large temple bell rung by visitors.
• The Xi'an Museum - city collections in the same grounds.

When to go

Year-round; spring and autumn are the pleasant seasons in Xi'an. Free entry usually requires booking a slot. The garden is far quieter than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda across town.

Honest expectations

Climbing the pagoda costs extra and the stairs are narrow and dark. Booking is needed even for free entry. The pagoda cannot be seen close up from all sides due to garden layout.

Nearby

The city wall lies north; the Shaanxi History Museum is east.