For centuries, the Fengyang Drum Tower stood tall over the Chinese Anhui province, working like a sort of clock marking the time of day, and announcing the beginning of official ceremonies.
But the passage of time and a recent renovation have led to a disaster last Monday that very nearly ended in a catastrophe costing human lives.
CNN reported:
“Visitors to a centuries-old tourist site in eastern China were sent scrambling after hundreds of roof tiles came loose and cascaded more than two stories to the ground.”
Roof tiles became detached and fell from the #Gulou (Drum Tower) in #Fengyang, #Anhui Province in #China on May 19, Chinese social media videos showed. Fortunately, no was reported injured as it was dinner time and there were fewer people near the building. pic.twitter.com/Ftj0aSLyqN
— ShanghaiEyeofficial (@ShanghaiEye) May 20, 2025
The Fengyang drum Tower is one of the largest such structures in the whole China.
A major tourist attraction located 200 miles away from Chinese capital of Beijing, Fengyang is famous for being the hometown of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, founder of the Ming dynasty.
“But on Monday the quiet around the site was shattered as hundreds of roof tiles began slipping from the roof and crashing to the ground, raising a huge cloud of gray-brown dust.
‘The tile falling lasted for a minute or two’, one eyewitness told Yangcheng Evening News, a state-controlled newspaper.”
Tiles fell from the ancient Drum Tower in Fengyang, #Anhui Province, on May 19. The tower, originally built in 1375 and rebuilt in 1995, had been under renovation since late 2023. Local authorities are investigating the incident. #architecture #China pic.twitter.com/h5U2ABXZLn
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) May 20, 2025
The collapse happened after the tower was renovated in 2024.
“’There was no one in the square and no one was injured’, [a local man] told state media outlet The Beijing News. ‘If it happened a little later, there would be many children playing (near the tower) after dinner’.”
Local authorities say there have been no casualties reported.
On the evening of May 19, tiles fell from the Ming Zhongdu Drum Tower in Fengyang County, China.
Built in 1375 during the Ming Dynasty, the tower recently underwent repairs costing over 3.41 million yuan.
No injuries were reported, and authorities are currently investigating… pic.twitter.com/mrD9E4ybaD
— Volcaholic (@volcaholic1) May 19, 2025
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