Sister Cities International Bridge and Xi'an Chinese Warriors

The Sister Cities International Bridge was built and dedicated in 2000 to honor the relationships between Kansas City and its partnering cities. Sister Cities International is a program developed by President Eisenhower in 1956 to promote peace and understanding of different cultures through mutual respect and relationships. The local affiliation started in 1967 when Seville, Spain, was named Kansas City’s first Sister City, and twelve other cities have been added since that time. Metz, France became Kansas City's 13th sister city in June 2025. The bridge is lined with a flag and a corresponding plaque for each of Kansas City's twelve Sister Cities in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The entrance is guarded by two six-foot Chinese Warriors, bronze statues placed in 2005 that are replicas of previous statues that stood here and were a gift from Sister City Xi’an, China.

The Sister Cities International Bridge is a pedestrian bridge connecting the split streets of Ward Parkway over Brush Creek. This location was originally home to a footbridge that had been damaged in the 1977 Plaza flood and later removed. Country flags line the bridge, which represents each of Kansas City’s Sister Cities. Guarding the entrance to the bridge are two six-foot Chinese warrior statues. These bronze statues are replicas of the original terracotta warriors that were gifted from Xi’an, China, a Sister City established in 1989, for the commemoration of the bridge at the 2000 ceremony.

These two bronze statues are replicas of the famous Terracotta Warriors that were unearthed in 1974 when the grave of the first Chinese emperor was discovered near Xi’an. In 2004, the city of Xi'an gifted a pair of statues, made from terracotta and fiberglass, to Kansas City to celebrate their 15th anniversary as sister cities. After several acts of vandalism, the city replaced the original gift with these bronze sculptures in 2005.

Kansas City and Xi’an established their sister city relationship in 1989. This partnership has included cultural exchanges and events designed to strengthen international ties. One of the most prominent events resulting from this connection is the annual Dragon Boat Festival, held each June on Brush Creek. The festival features dragon boat races, traditional Chinese dances, calligraphy, art exhibitions, and cultural showcases from local organizations.

Kansas City’s Sister Cities program recognizes twelve international partnerships on the Sister Cities International Bridge. The program promotes international understanding and cultural exchange through events, delegations, and public art installations such as the Chinese Warriors. The Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an date back more than 2,200 years and were created to guard the tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Each figure in the original army is unique and represents a significant archaeological and cultural achievement. The Kansas City replicas bear inscriptions referencing Xi’an and the Qin Dynasty.

The Terracotta Warriors and Chinese History

The Terracotta Army is a vast collection of terracotta sculptures representing the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. Created around 210–209 BCE, these figures were intended to protect the emperor in the afterlife. The army was discovered on March 29, 1974, by farmers who found clay artifacts while digging a well in Lintong County, near Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. This accidental find led archaeologists to uncover an extensive necropolis measuring approximately 38 square miles.

The Terracotta Army consists of over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. The figures vary in height according to rank, and additional non-military figures such as officials, acrobats, and musicians have also been found. The warriors guard the eastern side of the tomb mound at Mount Li, which was chosen for its rich resources and strategic location. Today, the mausoleum site is covered by a museum. It is considered one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

History of Sister Cities International

Sister Cities International is a non-profit organization created in 1956 by President Eisenhower during a conference on civil diplomacy. Eisenhower envisioned a network of people-to-people relationships and partnered with civic leaders worldwide to help build a solid foundation for global peace, thereby reducing the likelihood of new conflicts. SCI believes that promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding, and cooperation enables people to appreciate one another's differences and foster partnerships. To fulfill their mission, they engage in community development through arts, culture, business, trade, and education. 

Kansas City Sister Cities is the local affiliate created in 1967. The same year, Seville, Spain, was named Kansas City’s first Sister City. In addition to being a key inspiration in the design for the Country Club Plaza, Kansas City and Seville shared many similarities in social, economic, and cultural interests. They maintained a cultural and commercial relationship for twenty years but as time passed, the relationship dwindled. Kansas City was the only US city invited to the Expo ‘92 World's Fair hosted by Seville, which reestablished some of their connection, including a gift from Kansas City of the Explorer statue. Kansas City currently has thirteen Sister Cities, while there are over 2000 partnerships in more than 140 countries in the international association. 

The following are Kansas City’s twelve Sister Cities, along with the corresponding year each relationship was officially recognized. 

• Seville, Spain 1967
• Kurashiki, Japan 1972
• Morelia, Mexico 1973
• Freetown, Sierra Leone 1974 
• Tainan, Taiwan 1978
• Xi’an, China 1989
• Guadalajara, México 1991
• Hannover, Germany 1993 
• Port Harcourt, Nigeria 1993
• Arusha, Tanzania 1995
• Ramla, Israel 1998 
• Yan’an, China 2017
• Metz, France, 2025

Kansas City Sister Cities Association. Accessed November 23rd 2021. https://www.kcsistercities.org/.

Our Mission, Sister Cities International. Accessed November 23rd 2021. https://sistercities.org/about-us/.

Sevilla y Kansas City, Sister Cities, Hotel Europa. August 6th 2017. Accessed November 23rd 2021. https://www.hoteleuropasevilla.com/en/sevilla-y-kansas-city-ciudades-hermanas-1.

Chinese Warriors, Kansas City Parks and Recreation. Accessed November 23rd 2021. https://kcparks.org/places/chinesewarriors/.

China Garden Society of Greater Kansas City. "International Exchange." https://www.chinagardensociety-kc.org/

China Garden Society of Greater Kansas City. "Kansas City International Dragon Boat Festival." https://www.chinagardensociety-kc.org/DragonBoat.htm.

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. "The Museum of the Terracotta Army.". https://www.bmy.com.cn/index.html.

Kansas City Chinese American Association - Kansas School. https://www.kccaks.org/.

Kansas City Chinese Association. http://www.kccaa.org/.

Kansas City Star. "Why Are There Terracotta Warriors on the Plaza?" Last modified February 7, 2024. https://www.kansascity.com/news/your-kcq/article289189034.html.

KC Parks. "Chinese Warriors." https://kcparks.org/places/chinesewarriors/.

KC Parks. "Kansas City International Dragon Boat Festival." https://kcparks.org/event/dragon-boats/.

Wikipedia. "Terracotta Army." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army.