Drum Tower

Datong

The ancient city of Datong lies west of Beijing, near the northern border of Shanxi. Due to its proximity to the "barbarian" frontier, it served variously as the Northern Wei capital from 439-535, a secondary capital under the Liao (916-1125) and Jin (1115-1234), and a military headquarters during the Ming Dynasty.

The city's Drum Tower dates from the Ming Dynasty, with many later repairs and restorations.