2021-07-14 02:17:52

The Bell Tower， is a stately traditional building， that marks the geographical center of the ancient capital。 From this important landmark extend East， South， West and North Streets， connecting the Tower to the East， South， West and North Gates of the City Wall of the Ming Dynasty。

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， Xian was an important military town in Northwest China， a fact that is reflected in the size and historic significance of its tower。

The tower was built in 1384 by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang as a way to dominate the surrounding countryside and provide early warning of attack by rival rulers。

The tower has three layers of eaves but only two stories。 Inside， a staircase spirals up。 The grey bricks of the square base， the dark green glazed tiles on the eaves， gold-plating on the roof and gilded color painting make the tower a colorful and dramatic masterpiece of Ming-style architecture。 In addition to enhancing the beauty of the building， the three layers of eaves reduce the impact of rain on the building。