Jianfu Temple was founded in 684 to commemorate the death of the Tang emperor Gaozong. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda was built in its grounds twenty years later and now stands at the back of the complex; the temple buildings sit between it and the front gate. Most of what survives is a Ming-era reconstruction, but a handful of Tang foundation stones and a 9th-century stone tortoise remain.
The pagoda is smaller and older-looking than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda at Daci'en — thirteen storeys of grey brick, tapering gracefully, without the heavy Tang solidity of its larger cousin to the south. The climb to the top is permitted and the views over the city's grid are worth it. The attached Xi'an Museum, housed in the gardens between the temple gate and the pagoda, covers the city's history from prehistoric times through to the Ming, with a collection of Tang burial figures and an unusually good section on the cosmopolitan culture of Tang Chang'an. The temple is reached on the same ticket as the pagoda and museum.
The surrounding park, Xiaonanmen Park, is a pleasant space for an early morning walk before the crowds arrive. Street food vendors set up along the park perimeter in the evenings.