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@zhigang - UnsplashBeijing Drum Tower
📍 China
Beijing’s Drum Tower, or Gulou, stands near the northern end of the old city’s central axis, directly south of the Bell Tower and close to the hutong neighborhoods around Shichahai. Together, the two towers once marked the hours with drumbeats and bell strokes, making them working instruments of urban life rather than purely ceremonial landmarks. The Drum Tower originated in the Yuan dynasty and was rebuilt under the Ming. Its red-painted upper structure, broad upturned eaves and tall masonry base create a striking contrast with the low, gray-tiled courtyard houses nearby. A steep interior stairway leads to the upper level, where views reveal the texture of the surrounding hutongs and the alignment with the Bell Tower to the north. At street level, the tower’s scale is especially clear against the lanes and everyday activity of the Gulou neighborhood.
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