Bell Tower and Drum Tower
西安钟楼·鼓楼
The geometric center of the old Ming-dynasty city and its timekeeping towers. The night view of the Bell Tower is Xi’an’s signature image, and the Muslim Quarter is just behind the Drum Tower.
The Bell Tower stands at the intersection of the four main streets of the old city. It was built in the 17th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty (1384) and is the largest and best-preserved bell tower in China. Built of brick and wood, it is 36 meters tall with three eaves and a four-cornered pointed roof. Its green glazed tiles and painted brackets glow with gold under night lighting. From the top floor, you can circle the tower to look out over traffic on the four main streets and the Drum Tower. Inside, there are bronze chime performances on the hour and performances of the morning bell and evening drum.
The Drum Tower is about 200 meters northwest of the Bell Tower. It was built in 1380, is slightly larger than the Bell Tower at 52 meters long, and has 24 drums on each of its north and south sides representing the twenty-four solar terms. Upstairs are exhibits on drum culture and drumming performances, roughly once an hour from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Admission is 30 yuan for the Bell Tower and 30 yuan for the Drum Tower, or 50 yuan for a combined ticket. Tickets can be bought through the official WeChat account or on site. Access to the Bell Tower is through an underground passage.
Suggested plan: climb the Bell Tower in the evening to see the sunset and the lights, which come on around 8:00 pm in summer and 6:00 pm in winter. After coming down, cross the Bell Drum Tower Square, which has a large fountain and the Kaiyuan Mall, to the Drum Tower. After climbing it, leave from the north side and walk straight into the Muslim Quarter for dinner. The square between the two towers is the busiest public space in the old city.
Getting there: take Metro Line 2 to Bell Tower station. Exits A, B, C, and D lead to the four directions of the Bell Tower, and the tower is right at the exit.
Nearby areas worth exploring include Luoma Market Pedestrian Street to the east, Shuyuanmen to the south with its Forest of Steles and calligraphy and antiques shops, and Xiangzi Temple Street.
Note: the stairs are steep, so hold the railings. During holidays, the Bell Tower entrance has long queues, so buying tickets online is recommended.
Opening hours
08:30–21:30 (winter 08:30–18:00)
Nearby sights
- Xi'an Yisushe Qinqiang Theatre
- Muslim Quarter (Beiyuanmen)
- Gao Family Courtyard
- Great Mosque of Xi'an
- Xi'an City Wall
- Xi'an Beilin Museum (Forest of Steles) & Shuyuanmen
- Xi'an City God Temple
- Memorial Hall of the Eighth Route Army Xi'an Office