Once the terminus of the Silk Road and a melting pot of cultures and religions, as well as home to emperors, courtesans, poets, monks, merchants and warriors, the glory days of Xī ān may have ended in the early 10th century, but a considerable amount of ancient Cháng’ān, the former city, survives behind the often roaring, modern city. Xī ān's Ming-era city walls remain intact, vendors of all descriptions still crowd the narrow lanes of the warren-like Muslim Quarter, and there are enough places of interest to keep even the most amateur historian riveted.