Built in AD 1384 during the Ming Dynasty, the Bell Tower of Xi'an (鐘樓) originally stood at the geographic center of Xi'an, where the city's four main streets intersected. In 1582, the entire wooden structure was relocated about one kilometer east to its present location without being dismantled. Standing on a massive square brick platform, the Bell Tower rises approximately 36 meters (118 feet) and features elegant three-tiered roofs covered with dark green glazed tiles. In imperial times, a large bronze bell housed inside the tower was rung at dawn to signal the opening of the city gates, while the nearby Drum Tower marked the end of the day at dusk.