Linfen Drum Tower, also called Dazhonglou, stands at the crossroads of the old city and still does what a drum tower should do: it fixes the centre of town in your head. The present structure is a modern reconstruction in Ming style, but the site has carried a drum tower for centuries, through earthquake damage, rebuilding, and the disruptions of the 20th century.
The tower is best treated as a short but essential stop in central Linfen. Traffic circles around its base, so the first impression is not serene, but the scale is impressive and the view explains why locals regard it as the city's landmark. Pair it with Linfen Museum if you want the broader history behind the Fen River valley.