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 supported. Buy the combo ticket to save 10 yuan.
Plan ahead: Book 1-3 days ahead; same-day is usually available off-peak.
On site: Available at the ticket windows near the tower base.
Channels: Ctrip app / WeChat Ctrip mini-program (search '西安鼓楼') · 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 Bell Tower.
Admission
Single tower (Drum only): 30 yuan. Combo ticket (Bell + Drum): 50 yuan. Free: children under 1.2m or under 6, seniors 65+, disabled, active military.
Visit planning
Allow: 20-40 minutes
Physical load: light
Visit right after the Bell Tower on the combo ticket, then exit the north side straight into the Muslim Quarter for dinner; evening plaza views are free.
Getting there
From the Bell Tower: ~200m west via the pedestrian underpass or the Bell-Drum Tower Square (钟鼓楼广场), a 3-5 minute walk.
Metro Line 2 to Zhonglou Station (钟楼站), then ~5 minutes on foot west.
Exit north from the Drum Tower directly into Beiyuanmen (北院门), the main entrance to the Muslim Quarter.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair access: The surrounding square is flat and accessible; the upper level requires stairs and elevator availability is not confirmed.
Why this place matters
The Drum Tower was built in 1380 (Ming Hongwu 13), four years before the Bell Tower. It is a rectangular structure 34 meters tall on a brick base roughly 52.6m by 38m, pierced by a north-south archway. Drums were beaten at dusk to mark the end of the day, while the Bell Tower's bell was struck at dawn. The upper level displays 24 drums representing the 24 solar terms of the traditional calendar, plus a large central drum. Both towers are run by the Xi'an Bell and Drum Towers Museum (西安市钟鼓楼博物馆); the open space between them is the Bell-Drum Tower Square.
What to notice
- The rectangular plan — unlike the square Bell Tower, the Drum Tower is rectangular, reflecting its different function.
- Twenty-four drums on the upper level representing the 24 solar terms (二十四节气) — a popular photo subject.
- The large central drum with calligraphy — visitors can sometimes strike it for a small fee.
- Views north over the dense Muslim Quarter rooftops — a different perspective from the Bell Tower.
- The north archway leading directly into Beiyuanmen (北院门) and the food streets.
- Night illumination — like the Bell Tower, beautifully lit after dark; plaza viewing is free.