The Bell and Drum Towers

Ancient time-keeping instruments with spectacular views
Talk of the town: Legend has it that the blacksmith commissioned to make the bell tried to cast it for over a year, with no success. His daughter threw herself into the molten bronze as a sacrifice to the gods - only then did he manage to complete the task.

The Drum and Bell Towers mark the northern end of Beijing’s central axis that divides the city in two halves. Dating back to the Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties, these beautiful buildings were originally used to tell the time, when a morning bell and a dusk drum would resonate through the city.
Today, the area is immensely significant for Beijingers because of its characterful hutongs - quickly disappearing remnants of ‘old Beijing’ life. The drum tower houses 25 drums, one of which is an original. Join the daily drum performances and be transported back to ancient China, then move on to the bell tower for minority art exhibitions - and, of course, to view the 63-ton bell.