In Chinese history from Ming Dynasty, each city had a bell tower and a drum tower. The bell was sounded at dawn and the drum at dusk each day in ancient time, a means of telling time. Xian was not exception. The Bell Tower and Drum Tower of Xi’an date back to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The two are located in the center of the Xian city connecting the four roads from east, south, west and north within the city wall. Atop the Bell Tower you will have a panoramic view of the Xian City; atop the Drum Tower you will have a bird’s eye view of the Muslim Quarters.
Today, Bell Tower can only be accessed from the entrance on Bei Dajie where visitors have to purchase their tickets. To the west of the Bell Tower is the Drum Tower. This is a smaller building, located in a busy street which is full of street traders and hawkers. Drum tower marks the entrance to the city’s Muslim Quarter which is a interesting area to walk around and have a look. You will feel as if you are in a “city within a city” and the streets around this district leading to the Mosque are like a small village filled with people selling all kinds of things
