Bell Tower (Zhonglou)
- Admission:Free
11:22 AM Monday, May 28
Passing clouds. Mild.
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The word “tower” doesn’t quite do justice to the enormous structure of the Xian Bell Tower - or Zhonglou, rising on an imposing square base to a series of terraces and three graceful pagoda roofs. This is nothing less than the symbol of Xian, positioned at the meeting point of its north-south and east-west axes. Originally built in 1384 under the mighty Ming Dynasty, it was subsequently moved to ensure it retained its central position, with its base later rebuilt.
Enjoy great views of central Xian from this masterpiece of classical Chinese architecture. You can still see the original bell here, though it’s no longer rung to announce the dawn (not that you would hear it over the traffic anyway); instead you can enjoy regular musical performances on a variety of smaller bells.
Latest Reviews All Bell Tower (Zhonglou) Reviews »
Excellent tour. With foreign tourists down over 80% since 2008, this tour through Viator turned out to be a private tour for my wife and I! Small but nice air conditioned van us + driver + English speaking guide. Guide was very informative and knowledgeable. With just 2 of us in the tour, we could ask a lot of questions to learn more of the city and culture. Lunch was very good with lots to eat.
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An absolute must do.
This tour to Han Yang Ling makes Emperor Qing's tomb tour look like a joke.
The tour guide Michelle had good knowledge of the tomb and the emperor, as well as the temple.
She made extra effort which was much appreciated in making the tour interesting and comfortable on a horrible snowy freezing day.
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This was a really good tour to take the hassle out of trying to find all of these places on foot or by taxi. It does everything that is missing on the Essential Xi'an Full Day Tour. Make sure you give yourself an extra 3 or 4 hours on one day to cycle around the city wall, though; it's really worth doing! Continue Reading »
Practical Info
The Bell Tower is as central as it gets in Xian, and its position on a major intersection makes it eminently visible. On the downside, it’s a bit of a traffic island; use the underground pedestrian tunnel on the north side.
