The Market Tower (Shi Lou) stands at the central crossroads of Pingyao's old city, at the intersection of the north-south and east-west main streets. A multi-storey timber and brick tower on a stone platform, it was the commercial and administrative center of the old city — the point from which distances were measured, market activities regulated, and official announcements made.
The tower's proportions and position make it the most photographed element of Pingyao's streetscape. The main street (Ming Qing Jie) is lined with restored Qing-dynasty shopfronts on both sides — souvenir stalls, restaurants, tea houses, and craft shops in single-storey buildings — and the tower anchors the whole composition.
You can climb the tower for views over the roofscape of the old city in both directions. The immediate surroundings are heavily commercial but the architecture is genuine. The tower is included in the combined ticket.