Drum Tower and Bell Tower of Beijing Building

Address: Gulou East Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China (near Gulou/Beiluoguxiang)

Hours: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm (last entry typically 4:30pm)

Admission: CNY 40-60 (combined ticket for Drum and Bell Towers, prices may vary)

The Drum Tower (Gulou) and the Bell Tower (Zhonglou) are a paired set of historic timekeeping towers in northern central Beijing. They were erected and rebuilt during successive dynasties as the city’s official timekeepers, housing a large bell and an array of drums used to sound the hours.

Both structures articulate traditional Chinese timber architecture and offer internal exhibits about the instruments and the role of timekeeping in imperial Beijing. The towers have been reconstructed and restored at various points in their history and today function as museum-style sites with public access to upper levels.

They sit north of the Forbidden City, near the Shichahai and Houhai lake districts, and are surrounded by narrow hutongs and traditional courtyard housing. The area is a compact historic quarter within the central city.

• Views and climb: Climb either tower for elevated views over the surrounding hutongs and the central Beijing skyline; the Drum Tower provides especially good vantage points of the historic neighbourhoods.

Take Beijing Subway Line 2 to Gulou Dajie station (Exit C). The towers are a short walk northeast from the station; expect to navigate some narrow hutongs if coming from the Houhai area.

• Climb the Drum Tower for the best view of the narrow hutongs and the grid of central Beijing - go late afternoon for the sunset glow.
• Time a visit for one of the timed drum or bell performances; they are short but evocative of imperial timekeeping.
• Enter via the north side near Gulou Dajie to avoid the busiest tourist approaches from Houhai.