The Drum Tower (Gulou) square in central Xining is the city's main public gathering place — a broad plaza framed by commercial buildings and the reconstructed drum tower, which now serves more as a landmark than as the timekeeping device it once was. In the evenings the square fills with families, old men playing chess on stone tables, and vendors selling toys and snacks. On weekends during summer, outdoor performances and markets sometimes take over the space.
The drum tower itself is a reconstruction but follows the architectural style of the original Qing dynasty structure. The surrounding lanes contain some of the better street-food options in the central district, including vendors selling Hui flatbreads (shaobing) stuffed with sesame paste or spiced lamb, and stalls offering roasted seeds. The square is a useful orientation point for navigating the central city on foot.