The Bell Tower

今天为大家安排的第一个行程会比较轻松，我们先去钟楼游览，现在我先为大家做个简单的介绍。

钟楼位于西安市中心，原址在今天西大街广济街口，明朝万历十年移建于现址。昔日楼上悬一口大钟，每天早晨击钟报时，因而得名。

钟楼基座是正方形，占地1377.4平方米，高8.6米，宽35.5米，全部用青砖砌成。楼为砖木结构，高36米。外部重檐3层，但内部仅上下两层。楼檐四角攒顶，檐下饰有彩绘斗拱。“斗拱”是我国古代木结构建筑的特点之一，在世界建筑史上也是独一无二的。它不但能使建筑更加牢固，而且更加美观。斗拱在商代就已出现，在我国青铜器的花纹上，可以看到较完整的斗拱图案。

楼内陈列着明、清瓷器和古代珍贵文物，是一座具有浓厚民族特色的宏伟建筑。

过了钟楼，让我们去青龙寺看看吧。

Today we will have a relaxing trip.First，we will go to the Bell Tower.Now，let me make a brief introduction.

The Bell Tower is situated in the center of Xi'an City.It was first built at the entrance of Guangji Street.It was moved to its present site in the 10th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty.It gained its name as the Bell Tower because there is a big bell hanging in the tower which signalled the time every morning.

The square base of the tower is 1377.4 square meters in area，8.6 meters high and 35.5 meters wide.It is made from blue bricks.The whole building，36 meters above ground，is a brick－andwood structure.Three stories of eaves can be seen from the exterior of the building，but there are only two stories inside.The eaves are supported by a colored dougong，a traditional structural system in which brackets are joined with columns and crossbeams.The use of dougong made the whole building firm and beautiful.In fact，the dougong structure had its origin in the Shang Dynasty and the design of a dougong appeared on bronze ware dating back to the Warring States Period.

It is an ancient building with unique Chinese architectural style.

Now，after walking through the Bell Tower， let's go to visit the Qinglong Temple.

快乐旅途

环球旅行

Traveling Around the World

“我刚刚环游了世界。”

“你看见阿尔卑斯山了吗？”

“我都爬到山顶了。”

“那你去过黑海吗？”

“当然去过啦，我还在黑海里把我的钢笔灌满了水呢。”

“I've just traveled around the world.”

“Did you see the Alps？”

“Climbed to the top.”

“And did you visit the Black Sea？”

“Sure did.I even filled my fountain pen there.”