Jiuquan Gulou, Historical tower in Dongnanjie Subdistrict, China.
Jiuquan Gulou is a multi-story tower in Dongnanjie featuring traditional Chinese design with wooden brackets and ornamental roof edges. Inside sits the original drum mechanism that once regulated daily schedules and announced important messages to the town.
Built during the Ming Dynasty, this tower anchored Jiuquan's urban life as a timekeeping and administrative hub for centuries. Its functions remained vital to maintaining order and coordinating communal activities until modern times.
The tower served as the community's social anchor, with drum sounds calling people together for festivals, announcements, and collective decisions. This role made it a symbol of shared identity and local cohesion that residents recognized instantly.
The tower is easily accessible on foot and invites exploration across multiple levels via wooden stairs to different viewing points. Wear comfortable shoes and allow time for climbing, as the upper floors provide better perspectives of the surroundings.
Inside sits an original wooden drum that has continued to work through the centuries thanks to careful maintenance and repair. This rare survival of a functional historic instrument shows how traditional craftsmanship kept the mechanism alive.
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