Bell Tower

Located in the intersection of East, West, South, and North streets, the Bell Tower was first built in 1384. Its original site was in Guangji Street and the tower was renovated in 1582. It has been the symbol of Xi'an. There used to be a huge bell hung in the tower for reporting time everyday. Hence the name Bell Tower. The fifteenth-century iron bell, weighing 2.5 tons, now rests on the northwest corner of the base.

The brick foundation of the Bell Tower is square, 35.5 metres on each side and 8.6 metres high. Above the brick is a tower of three layers with graceful eaves. Not a single nad is used in this Ming style wooden architecture, for the columns and crossbeams are joined by mortise and tenon joints. This is called dougong construction--sets of brackets on top of the cohmms supporting the beams within and roof eaves without (each set consisting of tiers of outstretching arms called gong, cushioned with trapezoidal blocks called clou ), and more simply it is called a system of supporting brackets inserted between the top of a column and a crossbeam.

The entire structure is 36 metres high. In the base are four arched doorways, each six metres square. The first floor is beautifully appointed with ornate Qing furniture. The Ming and Qing designs are found on the ceiling and roof. Two grand flights of stairs lead to the top of the Tower. The climb to the second-storey balcony is rewarded a magnificent view over the whole city of Xl'an.