Xi'an
Bell Tower of Xi'an
The Bell Tower stands at the exact centre of walled Xi'an, the point where the city's four great avenues — north, south, east and west — converge. First raised in 1384 in the early Ming dynasty and later moved to this spot, it is a 36-metre timber hall set on a square brick base, its three tiers of upswept eaves crowned by a gilded finial. The whole wooden frame is locked together with interlocking brackets and not a single nail.
The Bell Tower glowing under floodlights at night above the central roundabout
Inside the tower
Climb the base and you reach a balcony wrapping the hall, with displays of antique bronze bells — the great bell that once tolled the dawn gave the tower its name. A short chime performance runs through the day. The painted beams and coffered ceiling overhead are some of the finest Ming carpentry on public view in the city.
The heart of the old city
From up here you read Xi'an's grid at a glance: the arrow-straight avenues, the Drum Tower a block to the west, and the grey line of the city wall enclosing it all. The tower sits on an island in a busy traffic circle, so it is reached only through a pedestrian underpass rather than across the road.
The illuminated tower seen across the surrounding plaza
When to go and getting in
The tower opens daily, roughly 8:30 to 21:00 in the warmer months and closing earlier in winter. A single ticket runs around 30 RMB, but the combined Bell-and-Drum-Tower ticket (about 50 RMB) is better value and both stand a few minutes apart. Mornings are quietest for the climb.
Practical notes
Come back after dark: floodlit, the tower is one of Xi'an's signature night views, and the surrounding circle is a favourite photo spot. From the base it is a short, well-signed walk to the Drum Tower and on into the Muslim Quarter for dinner.
Highlights
- The geographic heart of walled Xi'an, where the four main streets meet
- A 36-metre Ming-dynasty tower on a brick base, first built in 1384
- Triple-eaved timber hall topped with a gilded finial, no nails in the frame
- Displays of antique bronze bells and a daily chime performance
- Spectacular floodlit at night above the central traffic circle
- Combined ticket links it with the nearby Drum Tower
Travel Tips
Use the underpass
The tower sits on an island in a roundabout — reach it only through the pedestrian underpass, not across the traffic.
Buy the combo
A combined Bell + Drum Tower ticket (around 50 RMB) costs less than two singles and both are a short walk apart.
Come back after dark
The tower is fully floodlit at night; the surrounding circle is one of Xi'an's best evening photo spots.
