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Drum and Bell Towers, Beijing

The red Drum Tower of Beijing with its triple-eaved roof, with the grey Bell Tower in the distance on the left
Photo: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
¥30 for both towers
Hours from 26 October
9:30–16:30: combined ticket until 15:30, single until 16:00, last entry 16:20
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Combined ticket
¥30, concession ¥15
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Drum Tower only
¥20, concession ¥10
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Bell Tower only
¥10 in the Beijing government's July notice; ¥15 on its Central Axis page
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours in season
9:30–17:30: combined ticket until 16:30, single until 17:00, last entry 17:20
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Season starts
26 March in Beijing government notices; 26 April on some official pages
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Public holidays
Everything runs half an hour later at Spring Festival, May Day and National Day
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Mondays
The Drum Tower's ground-floor exhibition hall is closed (except holidays); the towers stay open
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Drumming shows
On the hour; guides list 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 and, in season, 17:00, with a break at noon
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Light show “Resonance”
In the passage under the Drum Tower, hourly, about 8 minutes
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Booking
WeChat account 北京钟鼓楼, or the ticket office on the day; bring your passport
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Paying
Cash, or Alipay / WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Metro
Line 8, Shichahai, Exit A2 — about 5 minutes’ walk north
Address
No. 9, Zhonglouwan Hutong, Dongcheng (钟楼湾胡同临字9号)
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Coordinates
39.94019, 116.38964YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

¥30combined ticket for both towers; the Drum Tower alone is ¥20
SourceBeijing government (english.beijing.gov.cn), July notice and Central Axis page
Every hourdrummers in traditional dress perform on the Drum Tower’s upper floor
2 sourcesThe Beijing News, October 2025Travel China Guide
1272the first towers went up under the Yuan dynasty, when the city was called Dadu
2 sourcesEnglish and Chinese WikipediaVisit Beijing
1420the Drum Tower was rebuilt on its present site after the Yongle Emperor moved the capital here
2 sourcesChinese and English WikipediaThe Beijing News
1745the Qianlong Emperor began rebuilding the Bell Tower entirely in brick and stone
3 sourcesChinese WikipediaThe Beijing NewsVisit Beijing
46.7 mheight of the Drum Tower including its platform
2 sourcesVisit BeijingChinese Wikipedia
47.95 mheight of the Bell Tower — slightly taller than its neighbour
2 sourcesVisit BeijingChinese Wikipedia
25 drumsonce stood upstairs — one main drum and 24 smaller ones; only the main drum survives
2 sourcesVisit BeijingEnglish and Chinese Wikipedia
≈ 100 mbetween the towers, one behind the other on the north–south line
2 sourcesVisit BeijingChinese Wikipedia
108 strikesmarked nightfall: 18 fast, 18 slow, 18 in between, three times over
2 sourcesVisit BeijingChinese Wikipedia
1924the towers stopped keeping official time after Puyi was expelled from the palace
SourceEnglish and Chinese Wikipedia
2024both towers were inscribed by UNESCO as part of the Beijing Central Axis
2 sourcesChinese WikipediaBeijing government

Drum and Bell Towers tickets and prices

Get the combined ticket for ¥30 — it covers both towers. The Drum Tower alone is ¥20. The Bell Tower’s single price differs between official sources: ¥10 in the Beijing government’s July notice, ¥15 on its Central Axis page. Either way the combined ticket costs no more than two singles.

Concession tickets are half price: ¥15 combined, ¥10 for the Drum Tower. The English-language official pages don’t spell out who qualifies, so ask at the window with your ID.

Tickets are sold through the 北京钟鼓楼 WeChat account (Beijing Bell and Drum Towers) or at the ticket office on the day. Bring your passport — the ticket office asks for it. Pay in cash or with Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card; that is what works for most visitors in China.

Opening hours, Mondays and drum performance times

From 26 October the towers open 9:30–16:30. In the warm season they stay open until 17:30, with combined tickets until 16:30, singles until 17:00 and last entry at 17:20. Official pages disagree on when the season begins: recent government notices say 26 March, older reference pages 26 April.

Are they open on Monday? Official timetables list no closing day. On Mondays (except holidays) only the ground-floor exhibition hall in the Drum Tower is shut. One English-language guide says the whole site closes on Mondays, so check the WeChat account if Monday is your only day.

The drumming show is the reason to come. Drummers in traditional costume perform on the hour on the Drum Tower’s upper floor. Guides list shows at 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16:00, plus 17:00 in season, with a break at noon; the day’s schedule is posted at the entrance. Climb up ten minutes early to stand by the drums rather than behind the crowd.

How to get to the Drum and Bell Towers

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On foot

More tips

  1. From Tiananmen Square, take Line 1 from Tiananmen East one stop to Wangfujing.
  2. Change to Line 8 and ride four stops north — Jinyu Hutong, National Art Museum, Nanluoguxiang — to Shichahai. About 30 minutes in total.
  3. Leave by Exit A2 and walk north up Di’anmenwai Dajie for about five minutes; the red Drum Tower closes the end of the street.
  4. Buy tickets at the office or scan your WeChat QR code, and start with the Drum Tower — that’s where the drummers play.
  5. The Bell Tower is 100 m north, across the square.
  6. Alternatively, take Line 2 or 8 to Gulou Dajie, Exit G, and walk about 10 minutes south to the Bell Tower. Buses 82 and 135 stop at Gulou (鼓楼).
  7. By taxi or DiDi, show 北京鼓楼 — about 4 km north of the square as the crow flies. Afterwards, Yandai Xiejie and Houhai Lake are a few minutes’ walk away.

Is it worth visiting the Drum and Bell Towers?

If you’re exploring the Shichahai hutongs, yes: ¥30 buys an hour of history, a live drum performance and a view over old Beijing’s rooftops that you can’t get from the street. Short on time? The Drum Tower alone is enough — it has the drums, the show and the exhibition, and you see the Bell Tower right in front of you from its balcony.

Both staircases are very steep and narrow. With a toddler in your arms or bad knees, the climb is hard work; the towers look just as good from the square below, for free.

The view is not as sweeping as from Jingshan Park — you look over hutongs, not the palace. What you get instead is the living old city: courtyard houses, lane roofs and the lakes. It isn’t worth crossing Beijing for the view alone; for the drums, and combined with the hutongs, it is.

What were the towers for?

The Drum Tower (Gulou) and Bell Tower (Zhonglou) were Beijing’s public clock under the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. At nightfall drum and bell struck 108 times — 18 fast, 18 slow, 18 in between, three rounds — to close the city gates and start the night watches. They kept official time until 1924.

The first towers went up in 1272 under the Mongol Yuan dynasty. Today’s Drum Tower stands where the Yongle Emperor rebuilt it in 1420: red, timber-framed, with a triple-eaved roof on a tall masonry base. The Bell Tower burned more than once, and in 1745 the Qianlong Emperor had it rebuilt entirely in brick and stone — which is why it looks grey and austere.

Together they close the northern end of the Central Axis, the line that runs south through Jingshan, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen to the old southern gate, inscribed by UNESCO in 2024. Inside today: an exhibition on timekeeping, the drums, and a huge bronze bell cast in the Yongle era.

What to see inside

  • The drums upstairs in the Drum Tower — a row of big new drums and the one surviving original main drum.
  • The drumming show on the hour — short and loud, by drummers in traditional costume.
  • The Drum Tower balcony — grey hutong roofs all round, the Bell Tower close by and, on a clear day, Jingshan Hill to the south.
  • The timekeeping exhibition on the Drum Tower’s ground floor — how the city kept time; closed on Mondays.
  • “Resonance” (共鸣), an eight-minute light show in the passage under the Drum Tower, hourly.
  • The Yongle-era bronze bell hanging from a timber frame under the Bell Tower’s vault.
  • The square between the towers — the best shot of both at once, and free.

Before you go: checklist

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Drum Tower, Jingshan or the TV tower: best views of Beijing

Drum and Bell Towersyou are hereHutong roofs and the Shichahai lakes¥30 for both towers9:30–16:30≈ 1 hShichahai, Line 8
Jingshan ParkForbidden City roofs along the axis¥26:30–20:00≈ 45 minShichahai or Nanluoguxiang
Central Radio & TV TowerThe whole city from 238 m¥908:30–22:00≈ 1 hXidiaoyutai, Line 10

For the classic palace panorama pick Jingshan; for sunset and the city at night, the TV tower. The towers are for hutong walkers who want the drums.

Beijing viewpoints compared

Every viewpoint in Beijing rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Tiananmen Gate4945 min¥15, concession ¥5, booking only3.7 km
Houhai Lake and Shichahai381 h 30 minFree16 min walk
Jingshan Park3745 min¥2, ¥10 during exhibitions32 min walk
Drum and Bell Towersyou are here341 h¥30 for both towers—
Beihai Park332 h¥5–10, ¥15–20 with the island32 min walk
Summer Palace333 h 30 min¥20–30, ¥50–60 through ticket12.1 km
Olympic Park and Bird's Nest301 h 30 minPark free; Bird's Nest ≈ ¥50–1007.0 km
Central Radio & TV Tower291 hCNY 908.0 km
Great Wall at Badaling273 h¥40 entry; ¥35 November–March56.4 km
Great Wall at Juyongguan202 h 30 min¥35 entry; ¥40 April–October47.3 km
Great Wall at Mutianyu194 h¥40–45 entry; cable car ¥100–14057.3 km
Gubei Water Town and Simatai Great Wall164 h¥140 entry; ¥170 with Simatai wall108.8 km
Longqing Gorge164 h¥40, boat ¥10075.6 km

Nanluoguxiang, the towers and Houhai in half a day

Nanluoguxiang in the morning, the towers and a drumming show around midday, then Yandai Xiejie, the lakes and Prince Gong’s Mansion. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Nanluoguxiang1 h · Free, open 24 hours
  2. 14 min walk from the previous stopDrum and Bell Towersyou are here1 h · ¥30 for both towers
  3. 5 min walk from the previous stopBeijing hutongs1 h 30 min · Free; rickshaw about ¥100–200
  4. 16 min walk from the previous stopHouhai Lake and Shichahai1 h 30 min · Free
  5. 9 min walk from the previous stopPrince Gong's Mansion1 h 30 min · ¥40, book ahead with passport

5 places · about 7 h 14 min with walks · 44 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Beijing hutongs

Beijing, China

1 h 30 min · Free; rickshaw about ¥100–200 · 5 min walk

Nanluoguxiang

Beijing, China

1 h · Free, open 24 hours · 14 min walk

Prince Gong's Mansion

Beijing, China

1 h 30 min · ¥40, book ahead with passport · 16 min walk

How to do it right

  • Buy the combined ticket — it costs no more than two singles and saves a second queue.
  • Do the Drum Tower first, timed for the top of the hour, then the Bell Tower while the drummers rest.
  • The best photo of both towers is from the square between them or from the start of Yandai Xiejie.
  • Pair the towers with the Shichahai hutongs and an evening at Houhai — it’s all walkable.
  • Save the Chinese names: 鼓楼 (Drum Tower), 钟楼 (Bell Tower), 什刹海 (Shichahai) — Google Maps doesn’t work in China without a VPN.
  • The stairs are steep: come down facing the steps and take your time.

Questions

How much are tickets for the Drum and Bell Towers?

¥30 for the combined ticket (¥15 concession) and ¥20 for the Drum Tower alone. The Bell Tower alone is ¥10 in the government’s latest notice, ¥15 on another official page.

What time is the drum performance?

On the hour. Guides list 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 and, in season, 17:00, with a break at noon. The day’s schedule is posted at the entrance.

What are the opening hours?

From 26 October, 9:30–16:30, with combined tickets until 15:30 and last entry 16:20. In season, 9:30–17:30, combined tickets until 16:30.

Are the Drum and Bell Towers open on Monday?

Official timetables list no closing day; only the Drum Tower’s ground-floor exhibition hall shuts on Mondays (except holidays). One guide says the whole site closes, so check the 北京钟鼓楼 WeChat account.

Do I need to book in advance?

You can buy through the 北京钟鼓楼 WeChat account or at the ticket office on the day. Bring your passport — the ticket office asks for it.

How do I get to the Drum Tower?

Metro Line 8 to Shichahai, Exit A2, then about five minutes north. Or Line 2 or 8 to Gulou Dajie, Exit G, and about 10 minutes south.

Drum Tower or Bell Tower — which should I climb?

If you only do one, the Drum Tower: it has the drums, the show and the exhibition. Add the Bell Tower for the huge Yongle-era bell — on the combined ticket it costs little extra.

How long do you need?

About an hour for both towers including a drumming show; half a day with the hutongs and Houhai.

Is it good for kids?

Yes, but the stairs are very steep and narrow, so carrying a small child is hard. Children usually love the drumming.

Where are the towers?

In Dongcheng district at the north end of the Central Axis, by the Shichahai lakes, about 4 km north of Tiananmen Square.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Beijing government (english.beijing.gov.cn): Bell Tower reopening notice with fares, July; pages Landmarks along the Central Axis and Beijing's Bell and Drum Towers — hours, ticket office times, Mondays, address
  • Beijing Release (北京发布) via Guangming Online, 25.03.2025: in-season ticket office times
  • The Beijing News (新京报), October 2025: drumming shows, light show, exhibitions, rebuilding dates
  • Visit Beijing (北京旅游网, official portal): tower pages from 2019, 2022 and 2023
  • English Wikipedia: Drum Tower and Bell Tower of Beijing, Shichahai and Gulou Dajie stations; Chinese Wikipedia: 北京鼓楼和钟楼; Wikidata Q2741116
  • Travel China Guide (updated 29.09.2026) and China Tripedia — drumming schedule, buses
  • YesGo China notes — payment for foreign visitors
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 04.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThe English core comes from search results and related questions: tickets and price, opening hours, drum performance times, Mondays, how to get there, is it worth it, Drum Tower vs Bell Tower. Combined and Drum Tower fares, hours, ticket office times and the Monday rule come from the Beijing government. The Bell Tower’s single fare differs between official sources — ¥10 in the July notice, ¥15 on the Central Axis page — so we show both. The start of the summer season differs too: 26 March in the 2025 and 2026 notices, 26 April on reference pages. We found no official drumming timetable: The Beijing News says “on the hour”, Travel China Guide lists hourly shows with a noon break, other guides every half hour from 9:30, so the row is marked checking. Sources disagree on the bell’s weight (42 t in Chinese Wikipedia, 63 t at Travel China Guide), so we leave it out, and on when the Bell Tower rebuild finished (1747 or about 1757), so we give only the 1745 start.

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