The Bell Tower in Xi'an is situated in the heart of the city at the junction of four main roads. Known as the symbol of Xi'an, its history can be traced back to the Ming dynasty. Each Ming city had a bell tower and a drum tower. The bell was sounded at dawn and the drum at dusk.

The wooden tower, which is the largest and best preserved of its kind in China, is 36 meters (118 feet) high. It stands on a brick base 35.5 meters (116.4 feet) long and 8.6 meters (28.2 feet) high on each side. During the Ming Dynasty, Xi'an was an important military town in Northwest China, a fact that is reflected in the size and historic significance of its tower. There is a huge bell hanging on the roof of the tower traditionally used to toll to tell the time. There are smaller bells on exhibit in the tower as well.