Big Wild Goose Pagoda Xi'an — Tang-Dynasty Pagoda & Asia's Largest Musical Fountain 2026

Q: How much does the Big Wild Goose Pagoda cost, and is climbing it separate?

Entry to Da Ci'en Temple, where the pagoda stands, is roughly ¥30–40 per person (~฿150–200 / about $5 USD). Climbing the pagoda itself costs an additional ¥25 (~฿125) — a wooden staircase of 256 steps over 7 storeys, about 20 minutes up and down. The North Square with the musical fountain sits outside the temple wall and is free to enter. Prices vary by season, so check before you go.

Q: What time is the musical fountain show, and is it free?

The musical fountain on the North Square (大雁塔北广场) is the largest in Asia and free to watch from the square. Shows generally run several times a day — often around midday, 4 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm, each lasting roughly 10–20 minutes. Times shift with the season and some shows (the daytime ones on Tuesdays, for instance) are cancelled for maintenance, so check the day's schedule before going. The evening show from 7 pm is the best one, with the fountain, lights and the lit pagoda behind it all together.

Q: How do I get there, and which metro line?

Take Metro Line 3 or Line 4 to Dayanta station (大雁塔 / Big Wild Goose Pagoda). Use Exit C and walk about 10 minutes (roughly 1 km) to reach the North Square and the temple entrance. From other parts of the city a taxi or DiDi to the North Square also works well. The pagoda sits right beside Datang Everbright City and a short distance from the Shaanxi History Museum — all walkable from one another.

Q: Who was Xuanzang, and how is he connected to the pagoda?

Xuanzang was the Buddhist monk who travelled to India for over 17 years to study and bring back Buddhist scriptures — the same journey that later inspired the classic tale 'Journey to the West'. When he returned to Chang'an (present-day Xi'an), he had this pagoda built in 652 AD inside Da Ci'en Temple to store the sutras and relics he carried home, and used it as a place to translate the texts into Chinese. The pagoda is both a memorial to him and a centre of Tang-era Buddhism.

Q: How long should I spend there, and when is best?

Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours to walk the temple, climb the pagoda and see the North Square. Mornings (the temple opens at 8.30 am) are quieter with soft light for photographing the pagoda. Evenings suit the musical fountain and a walk straight into the adjacent Datang Everbright City. A good plan is to visit the temple in the late afternoon, catch the 7 pm fountain show, then continue into the night-lit Tang-themed pedestrian street.

What it is

The oldest thing in the neighbourhood — and the monk who walked to India

Picture this: you tilt your head back to take in a pale-brown brick pagoda, seven storeys tall, rising behind the tiled roofs of an old temple. Big shade trees frame it, chanting drifts from a hall nearby, and it occurs to you that this exact structure has stood on this exact spot since 652 AD — long before most of the city around it existed. That is a rare feeling at a famous landmark, and it is the first thing the Big Wild Goose Pagoda gives you.

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda (大雁塔 Dàyàntǎ) is a Tang-dynasty brick pagoda that stands inside Da Ci'en Temple in Xi'an. The story starts with a monk named Xuanzang, who travelled to India for more than 17 years to study and bring back Buddhist scriptures — the journey that later inspired the classic Chinese tale "Journey to the West". When he returned to Chang'an, present-day Xi'an, he had this pagoda built in 652 AD to store the sutras and relics he had carried home, and to translate the texts into Chinese.

What sets it apart from most temple sights is that it is the real thing, still standing — not a reconstruction. And in a single visit you get two completely different moods: a quiet temple walk and a climb up the pagoda by day, then a transformation at dusk when the North Square fills with locals watching the largest musical fountain in Asia, which is free to enjoy.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an — a seven-storey Tang-dynasty brick pagoda rising behind the tiled roofs of Da Ci'en Temple — The Big Wild Goose Pagoda — a seven-storey brick pagoda inside Da Ci'en Temple, built in 652 AD

🎫

Temple entry

~¥30–40 (~฿150–200)

North Square + fountain are free

🪜

Climb (extra)

~¥25 (~฿125)

256 wooden steps · 7 storeys

🕗

Opening hours

8.30 am – 5 pm

Last entry shortly before close

🚇

Metro

Dayanta station

Lines 3/4 · Exit C · 10-min walk

⏱️

Time to spend

1.5–2 hours

Temple, climb and North Square

⛲

Musical fountain

Asia's largest · free

Several shows daily — check times

What to see

5 things that make it more than a pagoda

From the North Square into the temple, up the pagoda, then back out for the fountain — each part has its own story.

1

The pagoda itself

Seven-storey brick pagoda · built 652 AD

A square-based brick tower about 64 metres tall, one of the best surviving examples of Tang-dynasty pagoda design — plain in form but genuinely imposing. Buy the extra ~¥25 ticket to climb the 256 wooden steps to the top floor for a view over the North Square and across Xi'an. Allow around 20 minutes up and down; the staircase is narrow.
2

Da Ci'en Temple

Tang-era Buddhist temple · the pagoda stands inside

The temple that surrounds the pagoda is still an active place of worship, with a main hall, walking courtyards and mature shade trees. The ~¥30–40 entry covers the whole temple grounds (climbing the pagoda is the only thing paid separately). It is a place to walk slowly — modern Chinese temple life layered over a thousand-year-old site.
3

The Xuanzang statue

At the southern entrance to the temple

A bronze statue of Xuanzang in mid-stride stands on the southern plaza — a popular photo spot and a reminder that this whole pagoda grew out of one monk's 17-year journey on foot. His story is the root of the "Journey to the West" legend that the whole of Asia knows.
4

North Square & musical fountain (大雁塔北广场)

Outside the temple wall · free · largest in Asia

The broad square to the north of the pagoda holds what is billed as the largest musical fountain in Asia, the water choreographed to music and lights several times a day. Watching from the square is free (there is a paid seating zone for around ¥30, but it is not necessary). The evening shows are the best, with lights and the lit pagoda as a backdrop.
5

Walk on into Datang Everbright City

Tang-themed pedestrian street · beside the south plaza

South of the pagoda the site connects to Datang Everbright City (大唐不夜城), a long pedestrian street styled after the Tang dynasty and lit up all night. It is the natural next step after the fountain — a fitting end to the evening that keeps the Tang theme going. There is a separate full guide to Datang Everbright City.

Planning your visit

Climb, watch the fountain — and time it to get the most out of one trip

🪜 Climbing the pagoda

Entry to Da Ci'en Temple is about ¥30–40 and does not include climbing the pagoda. To go up, buy a separate ticket for around ¥25 at the base. Inside is a 256-step wooden staircase over 7 storeys, each level with windows looking out over the city in a different direction. The top floor gives an open view of the North Square and Xi'an beyond. Allow about 20 minutes up and down — and note that prices change with the season, so check before you go.

If you would rather not climb, walking the temple and photographing the pagoda from ground level is already worth the entry fee. The climb suits anyone after the elevated view who does not mind a narrow staircase.

⛲ The North Square musical fountain — free

The North Square (大雁塔北广场) sits outside the temple wall, is free to enter, and is home to the largest musical fountain in Asia. The water performs to music and lights several times a day — the shows you will most often catch are around midday, 4 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm, each lasting roughly 10–20 minutes.

But these times shift with the season, and some days (Tuesdays, for example) drop the daytime shows for maintenance, so always check the day's schedule before you go. If you can only catch one, make it the evening show from 7 pm onward — you get the water, the lights and the floodlit pagoda behind it all at once.

Tip: On weekends, claim a spot at the front of the fountain 15–20 minutes before show time, as the square gets very crowded. The paid seating zone (~¥30) is not worth it — the free standing view from the square sees the whole thing.

🗓️ Building it into one day

The most efficient plan is to visit the temple in the late afternoon, walking the grounds and climbing the pagoda in the softer light (the temple stays open until 5 pm), then come out to wait for the evening fountain on the North Square. From there, walk straight into Datang Everbright City just to the south — closing the night with the floodlit Tang-themed pedestrian street. All of this connects on foot, with no need to take a car between them.

If you prefer quiet and want photos of the pagoda without crowds, swap to the 8.30 am opening instead: soft morning light and the crowds yet to arrive.

Getting there

How to reach the Big Wild Goose Pagoda

The metro is the easiest option, dropping you close to both the North Square and the temple entrance.

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Metro Lines 3 / 4

Dayanta station (大雁塔)

Exit C, then walk about 10 minutes (~1 km) to the North Square — the most convenient route

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Taxi / DiDi

Ask for 大雁塔北广场

Dropped right at the North Square — handy in a group or in the evening

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On foot from nearby

Datang Everbright City

Walk straight in from the south plaza · the Shaanxi History Museum is not far either

Routing tip: This corner of Xi'an packs several sights close together. Plan the Shaanxi History Museum for the morning (free entry but timed and limited — book ahead), then the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the afternoon and evening, finishing at Datang Everbright City after dark. It makes a full day that is entirely walkable within the Yanta district.

Where to stay

Hotels in Xi'an worth booking

Stay near the old city wall for easy sightseeing, or in the Yanta district close to the pagoda and the pedestrian street.

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Frequently asked

FAQ · Big Wild Goose Pagoda practical

How much does the Big Wild Goose Pagoda cost, and is climbing it separate?

Entry to Da Ci'en Temple, where the pagoda stands, is roughly ¥30–40 per person (~฿150–200 / about $5 USD). Climbing the pagoda itself costs an additional ¥25 (~฿125) — a wooden staircase of 256 steps over 7 storeys, about 20 minutes up and down. The North Square with the musical fountain sits outside the temple wall and is free. Prices vary by season, so check before you go.

What time is the musical fountain show, and is it free?

The musical fountain on the North Square (大雁塔北广场) is the largest in Asia and free to watch from the square. Shows generally run several times a day — often around midday, 4 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm, each lasting roughly 10–20 minutes. Times shift with the season and some shows (the daytime ones on Tuesdays, for instance) are cancelled for maintenance, so check the day's schedule before going. The 7 pm evening show is the best, with the fountain, lights and the lit pagoda all together.

How do I get there, and which metro line?

Take Metro Line 3 or Line 4 to Dayanta station (大雁塔 / Big Wild Goose Pagoda). Use Exit C and walk about 10 minutes (roughly 1 km) to the North Square and the temple entrance. From elsewhere in the city, a taxi or DiDi to the North Square also works. The pagoda sits right beside Datang Everbright City and a short distance from the Shaanxi History Museum — all walkable from one another.

Who was Xuanzang, and how is he connected to the pagoda?

Xuanzang was the Buddhist monk who travelled to India for over 17 years to study and bring back Buddhist scriptures — the same journey that later inspired the classic tale "Journey to the West". When he returned to Chang'an (present-day Xi'an), he had this pagoda built in 652 AD inside Da Ci'en Temple to store the sutras and relics he carried home, and used it as a place to translate the texts into Chinese. The pagoda is both a memorial to him and a centre of Tang-era Buddhism.

How long should I spend there, and when is best?

Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours to walk the temple, climb the pagoda and see the North Square. Mornings (the temple opens at 8.30 am) are quieter, with soft light for photographing the pagoda. Evenings suit the musical fountain and a walk straight into the adjacent Datang Everbright City. A good plan is to visit the temple in the late afternoon, catch the 7 pm fountain show, then continue into the night-lit Tang-themed pedestrian street.

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Datang Everbright City

The Tang-themed pedestrian street lit up all night, right beside the pagoda

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