Gulou and Zhonglou 钟鼓楼

About Gulou and Zhonglou

They served the practical task of announcing time through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing periods, giving the surrounding streets a civic focus beyond the imperial palace. The Drum Tower’s wooden upper structure contrasts with the Bell Tower’s gray masonry and green glazed roof. View them as a pair: their spacing, outward appearance, and different instruments explain more than a quick photograph of either tower alone.

The Drum Tower stands at the northern end of the Inner City's central axis, north of Di'anmen Street, with the Bell Tower directly behind it to the north. Built originally for musical purposes, the towers were later used to announce the time and served as Beijing's official timekeeping instruments until 1924, when the expulsion of the last Qing emperor from the Forbidden City brought the adoption of Western-style clocks for official time-keeping.

The Drum Tower is a 47-meter, two-story wooden building; its upper story originally housed one large drum and twenty-four smaller drums, of which only the main drum survives, with replacements later made for the others. The Bell Tower, standing close behind, rises 33 meters with gray walls and a green glazed roof. Together the two towers offer panoramic views over central Beijing.

What to look for

• Drum Tower: examine the timber building and the setting of the historic timekeeping drums.
• Bell Tower: compare its masonry form and roof with the Drum Tower immediately to the south.

Location & getting there

Getting to Gulou and Zhonglou

The towers are north of Di’anmen Street, with the Bell Tower directly behind the Drum Tower.

• Specify Gulou or Zhonglou when meeting someone: they are separate buildings, and access to either tower should be checked individually.