Current visitor details
Hours, admission, booking and passport guidance below come from the Place record shared by city, itinerary and booking pages. Unverified or stale high-risk claims are not shown as facts.
Booking
Real-name booking required; foreign passports are explicitly supported online and on-site. The combo ticket saves 10 yuan.
Plan ahead: Book 1-3 days ahead; same-day is usually fine off-peak, but holidays sell out.
On site: Available at the ticket windows near the tower base.
Channels: Ctrip app / WeChat Ctrip mini-program (search '西安钟楼') · 钟鼓楼博物馆 WeChat mini-program · On-site ticket windows
Foreign passport
Foreign passports are explicitly supported for online booking — enter your passport number as ID and bring the original passport for entry verification.
Opening and last entry
Peak season (Apr 1 - Oct 10): 08:30-21:30 (last entry 21:00; combo tickets stop selling at 20:00). Off-season: around 08:30-18:00 (verify). Open daily, including holidays. Same hours as the Drum Tower.
Admission
Single tower (Bell or Drum): 30 yuan. Combo ticket (Bell + Drum): 50 yuan. Free: children under 1.2m or under 6, seniors 65+, disabled, active military.
Visit planning
Allow: 30-45 minutes
Physical load: light
Late afternoon or early evening; visit before or after the Drum Tower. Exterior night views from the surrounding plaza are free.
Getting there
Metro Line 2 to Zhonglou Station (钟楼站), with underground passages directly to the tower base.
Walk ~200m west to the Drum Tower, then ~200m north into the Muslim Quarter. Walk ~1.2 km south along South Street to the City Wall South Gate (永宁门), 15-20 min.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair access: The surrounding plaza is flat and accessible; the upper level requires stairs and elevator availability is not confirmed.
Why this place matters
Built in 1384 (Ming Hongwu 17), the Bell Tower originally stood a block west and was moved to its central position in 1582 when the city expanded. It is a square structure 36 meters tall on a brick base about 8.6 meters high, with triple-eaved roofs of dark glazed tile. A large bronze bell marked the hours; the original Jingyun Bell is now in Xi'an Museum, with a replica in the tower. Together with the Drum Tower 200m west, it formed the city's timekeeping center — the bell for morning, the drum for evening.
What to notice
- The triple-eaved pyramidal roof with dark glazed tiles and a gilded finial — a high architectural rank for a city's central tower.
- The massive brick base with its cross-shaped tunnel connecting the four avenues (no longer open to traffic).
- Dougong bracket sets and traditional joinery in the wooden upper structure.
- The bronze bell replica — the original Jingyun Bell is one of China's famous ancient bells.
- Panoramic views along the four avenues toward the city gates.
- Night illumination — the tower is lit after dark; plaza viewing is free.