Bell & Drum Towers

Introducing Beijing Bell & Drum Towers
The Bell and Drum Towers are ancient structures traditionally used to announce the time. The Bell and Drum Towers are located on a north-south axis in central Beijing. The Drum Tower, slightly north of the Bell Tower, housed huge drums to mark the night watches during Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The Bell Tower, correspondingly, held a massive bronze bell that was struck to signify the start of each day.

While their timekeeping duties are now a thing of the past, the Bell and Drum Towers continue to hold court over the city. Ascending their heights offers breathtaking panoramic views. Gaze down upon the intricate network of hutongs, the traditional courtyard houses that whisper tales of generations past, juxtaposed against the soaring skyscrapers of modern Beijing. It’s a captivating blend of old and new, a visual testament to the city’s enduring spirit.

Beijing Bell & Drum Towers Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Beijing Zhōng Gǔ Lóu 北京钟鼓楼
• Best Time to Visit: All year around
• Recommended Visiting Hours: About 1 to 2 hours
• Things to Do: Photography, Architecture, Chinese Culture
• Opening Hours: 9:30 – 17:30 (Apr – Oct), 9:30 – 16:30 (Nov – Mar)
• Entrance Fee: CNY15 (Bell Tower), CNY20 (Drum Tower), CNY30 (Combo Ticket).
• Address: Zhonglouwan Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing

What to Expect at Beijing Bell & Drum Towers
Beyond their imposing architecture, the Bell and Drum Towers of Beijing are living, breathing museums, offering a glimpse into the city’s rich past. While they may not command the immediate recognition of the Forbidden City or the Great Wall, these magnificent structures hold a special significance, whispering tales of ancient urban planning, intricate timekeeping traditions, and a unique architectural heritage that shaped the very essence of old Beijing.

The Bell Tower
The Bell Tower is an impressive structure, standing 47.9 meters (157 ft) tall and occupying a footprint of roughly 6,000 square meters. Built of brick and stone, it features a sturdy stone and brick base which supports the main tower structure rising 33 meters (108.2 ft) high. The tower is crowned with a striking double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, covered in black glazed tiles accented with green trim, reminiscent of a palace hall. Arched doorways pierce each of the base’s four sides, creating a cruciform layout within. A 75-step stone staircase ascends the east interior to the second floor. This level is encircled by battlements and features an arched doorway on each side, flanked by ornately carved stone windows. A white marble balustrade adds an elegant touch to this level.

Dominating the tower’s interior is a massive bronze bell housed within an octagonal wooden frame. The bell itself is an imposing 7.02 meters (23 ft) tall with a maximum diameter of 3.4 meters (11.1 ft) and a weight of approximately 63 tons. Its striking knob is almost a meter high (3.28 ft). Two wooden logs, each 2 meters (6.56 ft) long and approximately 0.25 meters (0.82 ft) in diameter, hang on either side, serving as strikers. Cast in 1420, it is the heaviest known bronze bell discovered in China. In ancient times, its powerful resonance carried for miles. Struck 108 times at dawn and dusk, at the “Yin” (寅) and “Xu” (戌) hours (around 3-5 am and 7-9 pm respectively), known as the “morning bell”（亮更）and the “evening bell” (定更). These tolls signaled the start and end of the day for the city’s inhabitants – soldiers, civilians, and officials alike.

The Drum Tower
The Drum Tower, a magnificent wooden structure rising 46.7 meters (153 ft) into the sky. Its grey barrel-tiled roof, accented with green glazed tiles, shelters a structure covering roughly 7,000 square meters. A low brick wall encircles the tower, guarded by a pair of stone lions at its entrance.

The tower’s architecture is divided into two distinct parts: a raised platform and the tower itself. The platform, a 4-meter-high (13 ft) base, features three arched doorways on both its north and south faces, and single arched entrances on the east and west sides. Inside this platform, a cross-shaped vaulted chamber of brick and stone supports the towering structure above. A discreet north-facing door, tucked into the platform’s northeast corner, reveals a 69-step stone staircase winding up to the tower. The two-story wooden tower is supported by an intricate internal framework of 36 wooden pillars.

Within the Drum Tower reside 25 drums. Twenty-four are meticulously crafted replicas, faithful to historical designs. But one drum holds a unique distinction: an original historical artifact, even gracing the opening ceremony of the 1990 Beijing Asian Games. This remarkable drum, crafted from a single piece of oxhide stretched over a wooden frame, measures an impressive 2.25 meters (7.4 ft) long and 1.34 meters (4.4 ft) in diameter. It rests on an elaborately carved, lacquered wooden stand adorned with cloud patterns.

Drum Tower Exhibition & Traditional Drumming Performance
The Drum Tower offers a captivating journey through the history of timekeeping in China. Within its 1260-square-meter exhibition hall, dozens of precious artifacts, including striking drums, bronze and stele clepsydras (water clocks), and sundials, reveal the ingenuity of ancient Chinese timekeeping technology. The exhibits explore the intricate relationship between the “evening drum and morning bell,” where the drum and bell announced the time, offering insights into traditional timekeeping methods like the twenty-four solar terms.

Beyond the exhibition, the Drum Tower itself continues the age-old tradition of drumming. Twenty-five drums reside within the tower: a central drum and 24 smaller drums symbolizing the 24 solar terms. The Drum Tower’s drummers, dressed in traditional attire, perform, striking the main drum 18 times in three sets, totaling 108 strikes, signifying the end of a traditional Chinese double-hour (时辰). Adding another layer of richness to the experience, the drumming performances feature distinct rhythms that evoke the unique character of each of the four seasons.

How to Get to Beijing Bell & Drum Towers
• By Bus: Take bus 5, 60, 82 to Gulou (Drum Tower) Station.
• By Subway: Take subway line 8 to Shichahai Station.

Additional Travel Advice on Beijing Bell & Drum Towers
• The Drum Tower exhibit is closed on Mondays, except the Chinese statutory holidays.
• Drumming Performance Hours: 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 (Apr – Oct), 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 16:00 (Nov – Mar).