China's largest remaining drum tower partially collapsed on Monday, and the entire incident was captured on camera.
NEW: The roof of a 650-year-old drum tower in Anhui, China, collapses.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 20, 2025
The incident happened at the Fengyang Drum Tower in eastern China. Officials have since launched an investigation.
The structure was first built in 1375 during the Ming Dynasty.
Part of the building was… pic.twitter.com/5Py0YJOGak
The video above shows hundreds of roof tiles sliding off the historic Fengyang Drum Tower in eastern China at the start of the week. Local media reports no injuries.
"The tile falling lasted for a minute or two," one eyewitness told the state newspaper Yangcheng Evening News.
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
Another witness told state media outlet The Beijing News that "no one was in the square and no one was injured" at the time of the incident.
Located in Anhui province, the drum tower was constructed in 1375 during the Ming Dynasty, with a reconstruction phase in 1995 after it was destroyed in 1853.
China's local culture and tourism bureau reported no casualties and said the "situation is under investigation."
