The Fengyang Drum Tower—built in 1375 and used to announce the beginning of ceremonies and the time of day—is one of the largest such towers in China, according to state media.

The tower is a major tourist attraction in Anhui province, which is around 320 kilometres away from Beijing, China’s capital.

But on Monday, the quiet around the site was shattered as hundreds of roof tiles began slipping from the roof and crashing to the ground, raising a huge cloud of gray-brown dust.

Another witness described how he heard the crisp sound of one tile falling after another from a shop at the entrance of the Drum Tower.

“If it happened a little later, there would be many children playing (near the tower) after dinner.”

The collapse happened just a year after the tower was renovated following minor damage to the roof.

However, the building consists of two parts: the original Ming-era tower base and the tower on top of it.

Fengyang county is famous for its history and culture, and was the hometown of Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor), founder of the Ming dynasty.

He oversaw a prosperous era fueled by strong international trade and a growing population.

During this time, China replaced its traditional currency of silver and gold with paper money.