Drum tower of Xi'an, located in the heart of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province of China, along with the Bell Tower it is a symbol of the city. Erected in 1380 during the early Ming Dynasty, it stand towering above the city center and offers incredible view of Xi'an.
Why it is called Drum Tower?
There used to be a huge drum in the tower, which told the time at dusk; hence it got the name Drum Tower. In contrast to the Bell Tower, Where bell was stricken at dawn, drum was beat at sunset to indicate the end of the day. Therefore, the Bell and the Drum have been referred to as "the Morning Bell" and "the Dusk Drum".
Structure of Drum Tower
Covering an area of 1924 sq meters (0.48 acres) and with a height of 33 meters (108.3 ft), the Drum Tower is a two-storey building with three layers of eaves. The base of the tower is 52.6 meters (172.6 ft) long, 38 meters wide (124.7 ft) and 7.7 meters (25.3 ft) high. Under the brick-made base a busy road extends. Visitors can also climb the tower to appreciate the beautiful landscape of Xian.
The Drum Tower is in a rectangular shape with tiers of upturned eaves and a gold-tiled roof. Parapets on each tier surround the center and the elegance and grandeur outer eaves decorated with wooden arches reveals much of the superb architectural artifice. The second storey is now used as an antique shop, for which it provides a very original setting.
Panorama of Drum Tower
The Drum Tower is a very strong and solid building. It has withstood more than ten earthquakes for over 500 years and there is not a single crack appearing on it, and now it is still standing on its original site.
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