Drum show
In the Drum Tower.
EditQ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Florian G. from Berlin, Deutschland — CC BY 2.0 · Roman Boed from The Netherlands — CC BY 2.0 · Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China — CC0 · そらみみ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · EditQ — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA — CC BY 2.0 · EditQ — CC0
Two towers at the northern end of old Beijing's central axis that kept the city's official time for centuries: the red Drum Tower, first built in 1272 under the Yuan and rebuilt on its present site in 1420, and behind it the grey stone Bell Tower, rebuilt in 1745; both are part of the Beijing Central Axis World Heritage Site since 2024. Drums were beaten and the great bell struck to mark the watches of the night until 1924; today drummers perform several times a day on the upper floor of the Drum Tower, and the steep climb up both towers rewards with views over the hutong roofs and the Shichahai lakes. A combined ticket is CNY 30, or 20 for the Drum Tower and 15 for the Bell Tower; they are open from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm in season and to 4.30 pm in winter, closed on Mondays, per visitor guides.
In the Drum Tower.
Over hutong roofs.
Grey stone.
North end of the central axis, Dongcheng District
Shichahai and the HutongsA lovely historic area in north-central Beijing made up of three linked lakes, Q4 minutes walk
NanluoguxiangA narrow historic lane in north-central Beijing about 800 m long, running from G10 minutes walk
Prince Gong's MansionA Qing mansion and garden just north of the Shichahai lakes, built in 1777 for H11 minutes walk
Temple of Confucius and Imperial AcademyTwo neighbouring complexes on tree-shaded Guozijian Street in Dongcheng, on one 20 minutes walk
Beihai ParkA former imperial garden north-west of the Forbidden City, first built in the tw22 minutes walk4.6Several times a day, roughly every hour from morning to late afternoon, each lasting a few minutes, per visitor guides; the towers are closed on Mondays.