Bell and Drum Tower

The Bell and Drum Towers in Beijing are one of the iconic buildings in the ancient capital of Beijing. They are a group of ancient buildings located at the northern end of the north-south central axis of Beijing, at the northern end of Di'anmenwai Street in the Dongcheng District of Beijing. Their history dates back to the Han Dynasty. According to historical records, there was already a system of morning drums and evening bells in the Han Dynasty, which was "beating drums in the morning to wake people up and ringing bells at night to urge people to rest". The Bell Tower and the Drum Tower are placed longitudinally one in front of the other, with a majestic and magnificent appearance, showing extraordinary grandeur. As the time-telling centers of the capitals in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, they held a very important position. Moreover, in the construction history of bell and drum towers in cities in Beijing and even across the country, the Bell and Drum Towers in Beijing have the largest scale and the highest form. They are also important buildings that have witnessed the history of China in the past hundred years, carrying profound historical and cultural values.