Exploring Xian
About 500 metres northwest of the Bell Tower on the West Street stands the Drum Tower. It was built in the Ming Dynasty and was repaired twice in the Qing Dynasty. There used to be a big drum on the tower which sounded every evening for about ten minutes before the city gates were closed, hence the name. The bell in the Bell Tower and the drum in the Drum Tower have been referred to as "the Morning Bell" and "the Dusk Drum".