After returning from Terracotta warriors museum, in the evening we went to see the Bell and Drum Towers of Xi'an
We had seen them while we were passing but it was a nice experience to see them by night in the background of glittering lights
The Bell Tower was built in 1384 during the early Ming Dynasty and is a symbol of the city of Xian and one of the grandest of its kind in China.
It is a brick and timber structure and contains several large bronze-cast bells from the Tang Dynasty.
The tower base is a square,130 ft high and covers an area of 14,820 sq ft.
It is located in the center of Xi'an, at the intersection of the four streets of the east, west, south and north.
We were surprised at the huge crowds mostly local Chinese with their family, there were local stalls selling small trinkets and toys
It is the largest and most preserved bell tower left over from ancient China and has effectively survived bombings and onslaught of time.
It was originally located at the Yingxiang Temple of Guangji Street, north of West Street, facing the Xian Drum Tower, about one kilometer away from its current location and was shifted and relocated in 1582 when the city of Xian expanded.
Similar to other Chinese clock towers, Xi'an Bell Tower was mainly used for time reporting and publishing news in ancient times
The lower part of the Xi'an Bell Tower is a square-shaped pedestal. The surface is made of blue brick and the base is a two-story wooden structure.
There are stairs inside and top is a triple-sided four-sided spire structure supported by a brawl. The top part is the “golden top” of the real gold and platinum wrapped in the inner heart of the wood.
The dark green roof is covered with dark green glazed tiles, and the interior is decorated with gold paintings. In the middle of the pedestal, there are holes intersecting each other with a cross of about 6 meters.
In the past, there were passages in the intersection of four streets in the southeast and northwest, and pedestrian vehicles used to pass through the cave, due to urban development the hole has now been closed.
There was a road turntable around the clock tower, and a circular passage for the pedestrian underground which we went through
(Picture courtesy: Danielinblue , https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27797663)
The Drum Tower also known as sister tower of Bell tower is located in the heart of Xian and a symbol of the city. Erected in 1380 during the early Ming Dynasty, it stands towering above the city center and offers incredible view of Xi'an.
( Picture courtesy : Jucember , https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14366152
The Drum Tower got its name from the huge drum located within the building. In contrast to the Bell Tower, where the bell was stricken at dawn, the drum was beaten at sunset to indicate the end of the day.
On the Drum Tower's first floor, lies a hall in which hang many large drums. Each is decorated with intrinsic and beautiful Chinese writing, which symbolizes good fortune.
Inside the Drum Tower there is also a drum museum, where a variety of drums are on display, some of which date back thousands of years.
The top of the tower commands a panoramic view of the city
Tired at the end of our long day we wanted to return to our hotel, as we were waiting for a cab, I suddenly spotted a three wheeler auto, we showed our hotel and its name in our cell phone, luckily the driver recognized it and we got dropped at our hotel at a very reasonable price thus fulfilling my desire to travel in a local conveyance in China
No comments:
Post a Comment