Beijing Bell and Drum Towers

 The 7.8km long Beijing Central Axis, with the Bell & Drum Towers at its northern end, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 27, 2024, and has become China's 59th World Heritage Site.

Lying on the north-south axis line of Beijing City, Bell and Drum Towers are visibly prominent constructions and represent the symbol of this old city. They were built in 1272 and rebuilt twice after two fires. At one period in history they were the time-telling center of the capital city during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties (1271-1911).

The bell and the drum were originally used as musical instruments in China. Afterward, however, they were used for telling time. As early as in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220), there was 'a morning bell and a dusk drum'. Telling the time by them played an important role in helping people live and work regularly when there was no other means to keep track of the time. As a result, the towers holding the bell and the drum became public architectures, and were widely constructed in almost every city throughout the country since the Han Dynasty. In the history of their construction, they are the largest and highest. Their layout is unique, in that they were placed fore-and-aft, not as the traditional sense of standing right-and-left horizontally.
 

Bell Tower

Bell Tower
Bell Tower

This brick and stone made building has two floors: there is an arched door on all four sides on the first floor, and you can go up to the second floor through stone stairs. The same exists on the first floor. An arched door was also built on the four sides of the second floor. Additionally, there is a stone window on each side of the four doors. Hanging on an eight-square wooden frame of the second floor, the bell in it is the largest and heaviest in China. It is 23 feet (7.02 meters) high including the pendants, with a weight of 63 tons. It was made of copper, and you can hear its round and clear sound from far away. The two 2-yard-long (2 meters) wooden logs hanging sideward are used to ring it.

 

Drum Tower

Located 110 yards (91 meters) south to the Bell Tower, it was placed on a 13-feet-high (4 meters) stone and brick base. It is 153 feet (46.7 meters) high, a little bit lower than the Bell Tower that is 157 feet (47.9 meters) high. It is also a two-storey building; the first floor contains the China Committee for the Promotion of the Minority Art. The second floor contains the exhibition area. Originally, there was one big drum and 24 smaller ones, but only the big remains. The method of beating it is to beat it quickly for 18 times and then slowly for 18 times. Altogether there are three rounds and 108 tollings. People knock the bell and the drum 108 times, because 108 times represent one year in ancient times.

 
Drum Tower
Drum Tower
Telling time by them was abolished after Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, left the Forbidden City. Since the New Year's Eve of 1990, the sweet sound of the bell that had disappeared for a long time began to ring out in the city. Being drowsy for nearly a century, the drum was also beaten again on the New Year's Eve of 2001. It has been beaten four times a day, for 15 minutes at a time since January 1st in 2002. From then on, every New Year Eve, they are beaten together 108 times to send a blessing to the people.

Their location has been flourishing since the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), when they were just standing behind the imperial palace. It was the busy downtown district there then, full of storefronts and businesses. Thanks to the further developing of the businesses, the street in front of the Drum Tower became the busiest shopping street in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. During the Republican Period of China (1911-1949), many have-nots (impoverished people), along with merchants selling handcrafted items (handicraftsmen) and vendors selling snacks and local food items (snack stands) swarmed the place between them, which attracted people from all walks of life at that time.Today, when visiting, you can climb onto them to have a birds-eye view to admire the entire city, and even take part in the activity of knocking them, appreciating all kinds of folk-customs, such as the dragon and lion dance, and other folk-custom exhibitions.
 

How to get to Bell & Drum Towers

 By Subway:
1. Take Subway Line 8 and get off at Shichahai Station. Get out from Exit A2 and walk northwards straightly for about five minutes to the Drum Tower.
2. Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Guloudajie Station. Get out from Exit G and walk south for about 10 minutes to the Bell Tower.
 By Bus:
Take bus 82 or135 and get off at Gulou (Drum Tower) Station.
Beijing Bus / Subway Search
 
Admission Fee: Bell Tower: CNY 10; Drum Tower: CNY 20
Combo ticket: CNY 30
Opening Hours: March 26 - October 25: 09:30 - 17:30
October 26 - March 25: 09:30 - 16:30
Close on Mondays
Drum Performances at the Drum Tower: 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00

Further Reading:
Xi'an Bell Tower
Xi'an Drum Tower
Zhangye Bell and Drum Tower
10 Fun Things to Do in Beijing with Family


 Recommended Nearby Attractions
 Dianmen
 

- Last updated on Aug. 26, 2024 by Catherine He -
Questions & Answers on Beijing Bell and Drum Towers
Asked by Candice from CHINA | Sep. 25, 2024 15:34Reply
How long should I plan to visit? 1 or 2 hours?
Answers (1)
Answered by Lori | Sep. 25, 2024 20:04
00Reply


0.5h-1h is enough.
Asked by Cristina from SPAIN | Mar. 23, 2024 11:31Reply
Drum tower still closed or can it be visited?
Good morning, is the drum tower still closed or can it be visited?
Answers (1)
Answered by Keith | Mar. 26, 2024 02:48
00Reply


It can be visited now.
Asked by Angie from ITALY | Oct. 22, 2023 12:46Reply
Tickets
Hello,
The tickets are only sold online or I can buy them in person there?

I saw on another comment that the Drum Tower will be closed for renovation. You know for how long it will be closed ?

Thanks!
Answers (1)
Answered by Emily | Oct. 23, 2023 23:50
00Reply


You can buy tickets at the spot.

As I know, it is still closed.
Asked by Richard from IRELAND | Sep. 08, 2023 18:26Reply
Drum performance times
Can I watch the Drum and Bell tower performances on a Monday?
Answers (1)
Answered by John | Sep. 11, 2023 01:59
00Reply


The Drum Tower will be closed for renovation since the coming Sept.14. The Bell Tower will be open as usual, including on Mondays.
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