Drum Tower of Xi'an

The Drum Tower of Xi'an (Chinese: 西安鼓楼), located in the heart of Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, Northwestern China, along with the Bell Tower is a symbol of the city.^[1][2] Erected in 1380 during the early Ming Dynasty (Hongwu era), it stands towering above the city center and offers an incredible view of Xi'an. The Drum Tower is in a predominantly Muslim district of Xi'an, known as the Drum Tower Muslim District (DTMD).^[3][4]

Drum Tower of Xi'an
西安鼓楼
Drum Tower with the plaque Wenwu Shengdi (Chinese: 文武盛地, a place of prosperous literary and military)
General information
Location	Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
Coordinates	34°15′42″N 108°56′19″E
Completed	1380

The Drum Tower got its name from the huge drum located within the building. In contrast to the Bell Tower, where the bell was stricken at dawn, the drum was beaten at sunset to indicate the end of the day.

On the Drum Tower's first floor, lies a hall in which hang many large drums. Each is decorated with intrinsic and beautiful Chinese writing, which symbolises good fortune. The impressive arrays of drums are only on show and visitors are not allowed to touch any of them. But there is an extra drum near the front entrance where visitors can pose for pictures for a small fee.

Inside the Drum Tower there is also a drum museum, where a variety of drums are on display, some of which can be dated back thousands of years. There is a drum show performed here every day. The top of the tower commands a panoramic view of the city.

Gallery

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  Drum Tower from east
• 
  Drum Tower in night

See also

• Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, another main symbol of Xi'an
• Drum Tower of Nanjing, a tower also built in Hongwu era

References

1. Mazzeo, Rocco; Cam, Darinn; Chiavari, Giuseppe; Fabbri, Daniele; Ling, He; Prati, Silvia (2004-07-01). "Analytical study of traditional decorative materials and techniques used in Ming Dynasty wooden architecture. The case of the Drum Tower in Xi'an, P.R. of China". Journal of Cultural Heritage. 5 (3): 273–283. doi:10.1016/j.culher.2004.06.001. ISSN 1296-2074.
2. Fludd, Derrick (2016-04-23). Xi'an. Global Image Books. pp. 9–14.
3. Zhai, Binqing; Ng, Mee Kam (2013-12-01). "Urban regeneration and social capital in China: A case study of the Drum Tower Muslim District in Xi'an". Cities. 35: 14–25. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2013.05.003. ISSN 0264-2751.
4. Høyem, Harald (2017), "Empowerment and human rights: Comparing two cultural heritage cases in Xi'an, China", World Heritage and Human Rights, Routledge, doi:10.4324/9781315402789-5, ISBN 978-1-315-40278-9, retrieved 2023-09-04