The Drum Tower

Xian Drum Tower is on the northern side of the West Street in the Xian City.

It was built in 1380 (the 13th year of Ming Hongwu Era), and were rebuilt in 1699 (the 38th year of the Qing Kangxi Era) and in 1740 (the 5th year of the Qing Qianlong Era). It's named as the Drum Tower because of the big drum placed on the tower, which was hit at dusk everyday for giving the correct time. The Drum Tower is altogether 33 meters high, 52.6 meters wide, covering more than 1970 square meters. The midmost hollow are gate from the south to the north is both 6 meters in the height and width, and it's 38 meters long from the south to the north, and 52 meters from the east to the west. The Drum Tower is a two-floor tower, and its structure is straight up like a pole, with double eaves and Xieshan roof. The tower is clear in arrangement because its outside eaves and flat base are all decorated with blue green hoppers.

The Drum Tower is of abundant vitality and of grandiosity as the completion of the Bell and Drum Tower Square gives more prominence to its scene. In the new Ding Chou spring, happiness could be felt directly as the newly produced great drum was placed in the Drum Tower. Made of and covered by only one piece of high quality ox hide, the big drum is 1.80 meters high, and its diameter is 2.83 meters. Its weight is 1.5 tons, and the stomach diameter is 3.43 meters. The number of the nails on it is 1996 symbolizing the year 1996, and with the added 4 copper rings, the total number is 2000 which symbolizes the year 2000, thus urging people to win their way and go to the 21st century.