China's 650-year-old Ming Dynasty tower roof collapsed in seconds, tourists evacuate in panic

Time of India

22-05-2025

Source: X
A stunning roof collapse at the
Fengyang Drum Tower
, a leading historical landmark in China, has triggered concern among preservationists, tourists, and local authorities. An earlier roof failure this week spilt debris and had tourists running in panic.
Even though there were no reported casualties, the accident has highlighted the success of recent restoration work and the wider issues of preserving ancient cultural heritage sites.
This fall highlights the key concern for China and other nations with rich historical architecture: How do we conserve ancient buildings while maintaining contemporary standards of safety? With growing tourism and heritage locations being exposed to natural forces and human activities, sustainable conservation measures are needed more than ever.
Roof of the Fengyang Drum Tower
in China collapsed, no casualties reported
On Monday evening, at approximately 6:30 PM, the roof of the Fengyang Drum Tower unexpectedly collapsed. The dramatic collapse was caught on camera by eyewitnesses, with parts of the roof tiles and wood beam structures coming crashing down to the ground as shocked visitors shrieked and scattered for cover. Luckily, there were no casualties or injuries. Nevertheless, the psychological effect on travelers and the symbolic destruction of one of China's cultural icons has been great.
Government response to the recent 600-year-old
Chinese Tower roof collapse
As soon as the incident occurred, the Fengyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau issued a public announcement announcing the collapse and reassuring the public that emergency actions were quickly taken. "The roof collapsed around 6:30 PM. There are no reported injuries," stated the official announcement, as cited by Global Times.
The authorities quickly evacuated all the visitors, cordoned the site, and installed safety fences to block entry.
Security guards and local emergency services also were sent in to guard the site and inspect for other structural weak points.
Previous deterioration reports prompt new scrutiny after tower collapse
The accident has led to fresh scrutiny of the structural history of the tower, particularly in light of the fact that there were previous reports of issues. Tourism and heritage authorities disclosed that there was evidence of visible deterioration, such as damage to cornice boards and roof tiles, as far back as 2017.
Still, it was some years before serious repairs began.
A full-scale restoration work was initiated in September 2023 to patch and secure the roofing system of the tower. The same was purportedly accomplished by March 2024, months prior to the collapse.
The collapse raises questions on restoration costs and quality
The restoration work was a large cost project, with the original contract put at 3.4 million yuan (around Rs 39.5 lakh). The last payment was resolved at 2.9 million yuan (around Rs 33.6 lakh), and one wonders if cost-saving or project management could have been factors in the result.
Although the name of the company that was hired to do the renovation and the full extent of the works have not been made public, local authorities are currently under mounting pressure to examine the quality of materials, the construction process, and adherence to heritage conservation guidelines.
To the collapse, supervision professionals have been sent to assess the structure's integrity of the portion of the building that has not collapsed.
The government is undertaking an exhaustive inspection process, and the location will continue to be off-limits to the general public pending notice. According to officials, the date when it can reopen will be established based on the outcome of engineering inspections and any repairs required for enhanced safety.
Cultural and historical significance of the Fengyang Drum Tower
The Fengyang Drum Tower is not just a tourist attraction — it is an artifact of Chinese history. Originally built in 1375 during the Ming Dynasty, the building represented administrative power and civic pride.
Drum towers existed in ancient China for keeping time and making public announcements. Although the original tower was dismantled in 1853, it was rebuilt in 1995 with the intention of maintaining its historical heritage.
It is now officially declared to be "the largest existing drum tower in China," said the Chuzhou Culture and Tourism Bureau.
Its massive architecture, wood framework, and classical eaves make it a masterpiece of Ming-style civic architecture. The tower has long been an important landmark for Fengyang County's cultural tourism.
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