Beijing Drum and Bell Towers

The Drum Tower and Bell Tower stand on the northern end of Beijing's central axis, rebuilt in their present form in the Ming and Qing periods, and until 1924 they announced the hours to the city: drums beaten at set intervals through the night and a great bell rung at dawn and dusk. Twenty-four drums once stood in the Drum Tower, of which one Qing original survives alongside replicas, and short drumming performances are staged through the day. The Bell Tower holds a bronze bell of some sixty-three tonnes, among the heaviest in China. Both are climbed by steep stone stairs, and the views over the grey tiled hutong roofs are among the best in the city.

What you actually see

• The drum performances - short demonstrations on replica drums through the day.
• The great bell - the sixty-three-tonne bronze bell in the Bell Tower.
• The hutong rooftops - the view over grey tiled roofs from both towers.
• The central axis - the towers marking the northern end of Beijing's historic line.

When to go

April to May and September to October for clear air; performances run to a posted schedule. Sunset from the Drum Tower over the hutongs is popular. Both towers close in the late afternoon.

Honest expectations

The stairs to both towers are extremely steep and narrow, with no lift. Drum performances last only a few minutes. The area around the towers has been repeatedly redeveloped, and some surrounding buildings are recent.

Nearby

Nanluoguxiang lies southeast; Shichahai and Prince Gong's Mansion are west.