Maoling Mausoleum

About 25 miles northwest of the huge city of Xi'an, in the centre of China, lie dozens of historical mausoleums - known as 'The Pyramids of China.' One of the most famous of these is the Maoling Mausoleum; noted because it is both the biggest and the final resting place of one of the Western Han dynasty's most beloved rulers.

During his 54-year reign between 140 and 87 AD, Emperor Wudi, also known as Liu Che, constructed this huge monument in his glory. It took no less than 53 of those years to complete, and is rumoured to have cost a third of the entire state tax. According to records there were so many burial objects stuffed inside the tomb, there was barely even enough space to fit in the man himself following his demise.

The mausoleum comprises a outlying city wall, measuring 431m x 415m. Within this vast area lies the huge, conical pyramid, which achieves a height of 46.5m and a width of 240m. On each side was a door, though today only that of the north side remains in good condition. There are over twenty nearby satellite tombs, though Maoling is both the largest and the most extravagant. In 1978 a museum was founded in its honour containing both valuable relics from Maoling, and renowned stone carvings from the nearby Huo Qubing tomb.

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