Great Mosque of Xi'an
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120 km west of Mount Huashan (one of China's five famous mountains) the Great Mosque of Xian (Sian) is located in the "Huajue Xiang" district, inhabited mainly by the Muslims Hui minority.
The 60,000 strong Muslim community that lives and works today in Xian traces its history to Arab and Persian merchants who, after traveling the Silk Road, became permanent residents of such cities as Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, and Chang'an (today's Xian, the imperial capital of China for 13 dynasties).
The current buildings date from the middle of the 18th century but earlier mosques are thought to have stood on the same spot. The building is built along Chinese architectural styles and is surrounded by gardens. It is one of the largest mosques in China.
The courtyard is open to the public, but praying areas are for Muslims only.
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