Drum Tower of Xi'an, Two-story drum tower in Muslim District, Xi'an, China.

The Drum Tower of Xi'an stands on a tall grey brick platform pierced by an arched passage, with a two-tiered wooden hall above it. Each upper level has a red wooden facade with balconies and railings, and three tiers of dark grey tiled roofs with upturned eaves carry rows of red spherical lanterns. Plaques reading "Wenwu Shengdi" and "Shengwen Yutian" hang on the north and south faces.

The tower was built in 1380 during the Ming Dynasty under Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. It underwent significant repairs twice afterward, once in 1699 and again in 1740 during the Qing period.

The tower's name comes from the great drum kept inside; for centuries its beat marked nightfall, while the Bell Tower's bell announced morning. On the outer terrace of the first floor, 24 drums on the north and south sides carry the names of the 24 solar terms of the lunisolar calendar, and they are sounded in a daily bell-and-drum performance.

A visit is most enjoyable in early morning or late afternoon when crowds are smaller. The building sits centrally and is easily reached on foot, especially if you are coming from the nearby Bell Tower.

The Wentian Drum on the north side of the first-floor terrace was made in 1996 and was claimed at the time as the largest cowhide drum in the world. It is played in the daily bell-and-drum symphony, alongside the 24 solar-term drums.