Part of the roof of the Fengyang Drum Tower, a historic landmark and tourist attraction in China’s Anhui province, collapsed early on Monday evening, narrowly missing tourists and passers-by.
Footage of the 650-year-old structure, located around 320 kilometres from Beijing, captured the moment hundreds of roof tiles came crashing down in a cloud of grey-blue dust. The scene, showing people hurrying away but not panicking, has been widely circulated on social media.
‘The tiles fell for a minute or two,’ a witness told the state-run Yangcheng Evening News. Another described hearing the sound of tiles falling one by one from a shop near the site.
No one was injured in the incident, according to a statement from the Fengyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau quoted by local media.
In China, a 650-year-old tower collapsed after an expensive renovation
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 21, 2025
In the city of Fengyang, the roof of the ancient Drum Tower, built in 1375, caved in — just a year after undergoing a costly restoration.
Local authorities blamed the wind, but on social media, people are… pic.twitter.com/SS0DyTjbk7
The incident occurred at 6:30 p.m. local time on the east-facing side of the roof. A major disaster appears to have been averted; had it happened just an hour later, the esplanade would have been crowded with children who usually come to play there after dinner.
China’s Culture and Tourism Bureau said that emergency protocols were immediately activated. The area was evacuated, cordoned off, and an investigation has been launched.
The Fengyang Drum Tower, or Gulou, is said to be the largest of its kind in China. It was originally built in 1375 during the Ming Dynasty, though some sources cite an earlier date of 1272. Initially intended for musical performances, the tower was later repurposed to keep time, serving as Beijing’s official timekeeper until 1924.
Designated a cultural monument in 1989, the tower is composed of two main parts: a Ming-era base and a reconstructed upper section. The original upper tower was destroyed in 1853 during the Qing dynasty and rebuilt in 1995. The tiles that fell appear to have come from this reconstructed section.
Standing 47 metres tall, the entirely wooden structure underwent minor roof repairs last year. However, local records show roof issues have been reported since at least 2017. Authorities say the recent collapse may have been caused by high winds, though users on Chinese social media have blamed substandard construction.
Plans for the most recent repairs were drawn up in 2023, with work carried out between September 2023 and March 2024.
‘This is so scary. These tiles are like (tofu),’ wrote one user on Weibo. Another commented: ‘If this happened in ancient times, heads would roll’.
Others struck a more supportive calling to ‘to show the true spirit of Fengyang! We fall but rise stronger. Let’s support each other through this challenge’ As of today, the tower remains closed to the public. No date has been announced for its reopening.
