Place · Nanluoguxiang & Gulou hutongs
Drum Tower and Bell Tower鼓楼、钟楼
Two Yuan-and-Ming-era towers that once told Beijing the time by drum and bell: climb the Drum Tower's steep stairs for a hutong rooftop view, and catch a drum performance if the timing works. 30–45 minutes.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 35–50 min
- p95 80 min
- Price
- on site
- Hours
- unknown
- Best time
- unknown
- 28″ bags
- No
- Nanluoguxiang & Gulou hutongs: forbidden
- Getting there
- Gulou Dajie Station (Line 8) or a walk north from Nanluoguxiang
- 700 years of timekeeping
- Steep stairs, hutong rooftop view
- Golden-hour photo spot
- Queue: switch at 15 min
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 10Hutong lanes are too narrow for cars and often unpaved or…
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- North China ↗Great Wall sections are exposed and steep: wind, ice and midday heat change the day. Go early and pick the section by the weather, not the brochure.
- Beijing ↗Hutong lanes are too narrow for cars and often unpaved or uneven: large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Beijing ↗Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and many sights check the passport against the ticket at the gate; bring the original, not a photo.
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours not on file: check the official site.
- Crowds
- MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Quietest Mon–Thu · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Time to spend
- 35–50 min · up to 80 min if you linger
Know before you go
- The Drum and Bell Towers sit at the northern end of Beijing's imperial north-south axis, the same line the Forbidden City and Tiananmen sit on further south — together they marked the city's official time for over 700 years, from the Yuan dynasty (with major Ming and Qing rebuilding) until mechanical clocks made them obsolete in the early 20th century.
- Drummers used to beat the tower's drums to mark the hours through the night; a demonstration performance runs on the current tower's drums at set times — check locally, as the schedule changes.
- The square between the two towers is one of the most-photographed hutong scenes in Beijing, especially at sunset when the towers catch the light.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
20min
Worthwhile
35min
Typical
50min
p95
80min
Drum performance times and closing hours change by season; not printed until verified for your date.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Photos
- Freely allowed.
Inside, in order
Overview
Drums and a scale model of the towers' history in the Drum Tower; a large bronze bell in the Bell Tower.
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Gulou Dajie Station (Line 8) or a walk north from Nanluoguxiang
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- on site · official site
- Stairs
- Steep, narrow wooden stairs to the top of the Drum Tower — about 69 steps; not for anyone unsteady on their feet.
- Shoes
- Shoes on; the stairs are steep and narrow.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Quiet on weekday mornings; the square below fills with locals and photographers at sunset.
- Sensory load
- 3/5
- Exposure
- medium
- Queue rule
- Switch if the queue passes 15 min; come back when under 10.
Bailouts
crowd
Skip the climb; the square and exterior are free to see
heat
Gulou Dongdajie café (AC)
Nearest rescue anchor: H — Drum Tower square east benches
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: no · noSteep, narrow wooden stairs to the top of the Drum Tower — about 69 steps; not for anyone unsteady on their feet.
- Accessible toilet: check · check
The towers themselves are climbed by steep, narrow stairs with no lift; the square and exterior are flat and step-free.
Combine with
- 5 minHutong noodle house
- 6 minNanluoguxiang lane
- —nanluoguxiang
Walk the Nanluoguxiang & Gulou hutongs area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
- The square between the two towers, especially at golden hour.
- The rooftop view south over grey hutong roofs from the Drum Tower's upper gallery.
Red lines
- The internal stairs are steep, narrow and one-way at busy times: watch your step and let others pass.
More on the groundFacilities · Seasons · Who it suits · Skip it if
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Amenities | check | No AC or toilets inside the towers; cafés and convenience stores in the square and along Gulou Dongdajie. |
Seasons, festivals and night openings
| When | What happens | Effect on your visit | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year-round | No strong seasonal change | No strong seasonal change; best light for photos is late afternoon year-round. | check |
“Check” rows move every year; confirm dates on the official calendar before you plan around them.
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A hutong rooftop view without the crowds of the Forbidden City | good | — |
| Photos at golden hour | good | — |
| A short, active stop between hutong wandering | good | — |
Skip it if
- Mobility limits that rule out steep stairs — the square and exterior view are still worth the walk
- You already plan a longer hutong walk and are short on time
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
Is the climb worth it?
Yes for the hutong rooftop view, if you can manage steep, narrow stairs; the square below is a free alternative.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Can I climb both towers?
Yes, with separate tickets; most visitors find one climb (usually the Drum Tower) is enough.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
What were the towers used for?
They marked official time for the city by drum and bell for over 700 years, before mechanical clocks made them obsolete.
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
Sources
- officialVisit Beijing (official)
- secondaryWikidata Q1066929