What a marvelous site. Each time I saw the tower it was night. Although the city has threaded lights all over the bell tower. It glows in the night! Catch glimpses of locals dressed in traditional garments as they pose for creative photos. Shop nearby the towers and experience the taste of Xi’an. The streets are wide for walking or cycling.

The entrance was a little confusing though. The underground signs say Exit 7, but actually the more accurate location should be the exit from metro Line 2 escalator (as one comes up from metro platform to the roundabout exits). The ticketing area is an automated self-service one but requires a local ID so I had to ask the staff for help and she used her ID to bypass the system for me. Later realised I could have just bought it on the CTrip app too, since the automated system uses Ctrip's system too. The prices are the same. Entrance fees are CNY30 per tower or CNY50 for both.  The entrance to the Bell Tower is just beside the ticketing area. Followed the path through security checks and finally made it to the Bell Tower, which sits in the middle of the city in a roundabout.  The Bell Tower was critical in the past to indicate time. Hence, there are a number of such similar towers in other cities such as Beijing. Today, it's more of a historic presence and showcase of ancient finess in architecture and construction. The architectural structure, the drawings within, the construction of such a huge bell. 

Just across from the drum tower and looking fairly similar, another symbol of Xian at 600 years old. They do have a bell that is much older at about 1300 years old. Do note they close at 530pm each day so come early

You might be among the 90% of travelers who are satisfied with taking nice photos of picturesque buildings from the outside. You don't need to wander around dusty rooms or know the entire history... If so, head to Xi’an Bell Tower and Drum Tower, which are a few minutes apart, after dark. Both structures are beautifully lit up and much more interesting to look at than during the day. Additionally, many Chinese girls dressed in historical costumes show up to take selfies - they are also fun to photograph.