Beijing Drum Tower

The Drum Tower is located at the north end of Di'anmenwai Street, the central axis of Beijing, and is the timepiece of ancient cities.

Gulou Street was once the oldest commercial area in Beijing. Since the establishment of Dadu in 1271, according to the organizational principle of "Zuozhuyou Community, the former dynasty and the latter city" in the capital city, Gulou Street directly behind the imperial city is an important part of "the latter city". Both sides of the road are crowded with merchants and people. Hutongs are crowded with high houses and courtyards of dignitaries and meritorious officials and simple and elegant folk houses of ordinary people.

After the protective renovation of Gulou East Street was completed in 2005, many time-honored brands came here, and 242 stores were successively stationed. The shops stand side by side, with simple and elegant storefronts, endless passenger flow and numerous visitors, which once again radiates the ancient city style described in Marco Polo's travel notes as "a gathering of thousands of people and cultures".

The Drum Tower is a single wooden ancient building. Grey tube tiles with green trimming and double eaves resting on the mountain are 46.7 meters high, 34 meters wide and 22.4 meters deep. Under the eaves, there are single eaves, single eaves, single eaves, single eaves, single eaves, and five stepped eaves, rotating in color paintings. There are eight arched doors on the ground floor; Three in the north and three in the south, one in the east and one in the west. There is a side door on the east side of the north wall, and there is a stone ladder for climbing stairs, which inclines 45 degrees from north to south, a total of 60 steps, then turns west, inclines 45 degrees from east to west, and there are also 9 steps, that is, climb 69 steps to the second floor. On the second floor, there are six checkered doors and windows on all sides. There are corridors around, about 1.3 meters wide, with wooden guardrails, 1.55 meters high observation columns, and a building area of 1925 square meters. The third layer is the dark layer. The whole building is located on the brick foundation with a height of about 4 meters. The overall width is 56 meters and the overall depth is 33 meters. There are brick steps in the north and south, and paved roads in the east and west. The Drum Tower covers an area of about 7000 square meters. There is a pair of stone lions in front of the south door, about 1.25 meters high.