Drum Tower (Gulou)
Drum Tower (Gulou)
4
Historic SitesObservation Decks & Towers
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
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Built in 1384, this imposing tower was rebuilt after the 1949 Communist revolution.
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles1,037 reviews
Excellent
319
Very good
485
Average
213
Poor
17
Terrible
3

bcheong
Shanghai, China26,685 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Business
Not as old as giant goose pagoda, this tower is about 600 years old. Do note it closes at 530pm so don’t arrive too late. You can’t touch most of the drums , but there’s 1 outside you can
Written 13 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dyhx
Singapore3,494 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Solo
Short walk from Exit 9 of Bell Tower metro station.

The Drum Tower was also used to indicate certain time periods. From opening of the city gate to the closing. "一更人,二更锣,三更鬼,四更贼,五更鸡". On 2 sides of the tower, it also hosts 24 drums, symbolising the 24 key Festivals in the lunar calendar. 

There's also a 7 mins drum performance here in the middle of the tower at several times in the day and I was just there in time to catch the 1145am one. There's also a showcase here on the history of drums and how they are an integral part of the community, not just for 'general announcements' but also in festival celebrations. 

Exiting from the Drum Tower, just round the corner at the back of it is 回坊 Muslim Quarter. Here, there's a mosque and mainly 2 long streets of local food/snacks, mostly halal.
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jan Linha
Chongqing, China70 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
The drum tower is much better than the bell tower. More things to see, moreover, there is a performance. Several people dressed up in historical robes perform musical performance using only various kinds of hitting musical instruments, mostly old/ancient. Very good performance. No extra pay for watching it. Also nice views from the tower at the city center. In my opinion, it is worth the visit more than Bell Tower.
Written 21 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ThaiCookingRocks
Changchun, China802 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020
There is much more to see here than there is at the Bell Tower, but its worth doing them both as it helps you imagine being part of Xi'an as a time when drums and bells helped dictate the life of the city from waking up, to closing and opening of the city gates.

At the Bell Tower, the inside just had lots of text panels, and pictures. Here there are many drums and drum types both inside and out. There was also a group of musicians that performed about 4-5 minus worth of music about every 45 minutes or so, and they were very good.

This is also right at the opening of the Muslim Quarter for those who want to visit there as well.
Written 27 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Luis C
Doha, Qatar119 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020 • Couples
We went inside as we had some spared time. There are many drums and you can see the Muslim Quarter from above. Also, there's a musical show schedule at different times. That was a really nice surprise, as they played antique instruments.
Written 27 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maxim B
Ottawa, Canada905 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020 • Family
Saw this together with the Bell Tower on a combined ticket. Small and easy to see site. Although, Xian's hazy air didn't make for good observations from the upper levels of the Tower.
Written 26 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deanosaur89
Edmonton, Canada2,162 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Friends
You won't have to go far out of your way to see this tower as being in the ancient city walls is a must do in Xi'an. This is close to the Bell Tower but isn't too exciting. I've been reading that they play drums at sunset and have a display of decorated drums on the inside but it did not seem worth it as the area is quite busy.
Written 31 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephen C
Singapore, Singapore1,082 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Couples
The Drum Tower is located in downtown Xi’an. The place is well maintained so it is quite hard to believe that the place dates back to more than 600 years ago.

Entry for adults is at 30 RMB. Featured are 4 larger drums and 24 red drums each engraved with one of the 24 solar terms.

You will get a good view of downtown Xi’an from the tower, including the Bell Tower as well as Muslim Quarter.
Written 3 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Koloblicin
Singapore, Singapore595 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019 • Family
It has some nice views of the city grounds around it. Should check the performance timings ahead of time so you can plan your visit.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jenny J
Perth, Australia864 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
You get a great view from here of around town as well while upstairs. There is a small museum type display of instruments, lots of bells (inside and outside) and a short musical instrument show at certain times. There is not enough seating or this so you would need to get there a little while before the show started if you need to be able to sit down for the performance.
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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DRUM TOWER (GULOU): All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Drum Tower (Gulou)

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