The Bell and Drum Towers are located on the northeast bank of Shichahai Lake, an area filled with prosperous commercial streets since the period of Dadu of the Yuan dynasty. The Bell Tower sits to the north, surrounded by walls that are arranged in a diamond shape. The Drum Tower sits to the south, also encircled by walls in the shape of a diamond. A rectangular square connects the two towers. The Bell and Drum Towers stand tall in the traditional neighborhoods of Beijing. With their large volume and height, they are the most imposing structures in the old city's inner city area with commanding views over the northern section of Beijing Central Axis.
The Bell and Drum Towers were built in 1420, following the tradition of Dadu of the Yuan dynasty to tell the hour of the day with a bell tower and a drum tower in the city center. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the emperors exercised their imperial authority to manage and control urban life with the Bell and Drum tolling every day. The Bell and Drum Towers stood tall in low-rise residential quarters. The sound reached as far as the four corners of the city due to the height of the buildings. The sound of the bell and drums unified time and told the hours to control the timing of opening and closing the city gates and markets. The Bell and Drum Towers were burned down several times over the centuries and the existing buildings were reconstructed in the Qing dynasty. In 1925, the Folk Education Hall of the Capital was established in the Drum Tower; the following year a cinema was opened in the Bell Tower. The Drum Tower has been open to the public as a museum since 1987 and the Bell Tower since 1989.
The Drum Tower 鼓楼
钟楼和鼓楼位于什刹海东北岸，该地区自元大都时期以来就遍布繁华的商业街。钟楼位于北侧，四周环绕着菱形城墙。鼓楼位于南侧，同样被菱形城墙环绕。两座塔楼之间有一个长方形广场连接。钟鼓楼矗立于北京传统街区之中，体量巨大，高度适中，是老城内城区最雄伟的建筑，俯瞰北京中轴线北段。
钟鼓楼建于1420年，沿袭了元大都城的传统，在市中心设置钟楼和鼓楼来报时。明清两代，皇帝每日鸣钟鼓，行使皇权，统管城市生活。钟鼓楼耸立于低矮的民居之中，由于建筑高耸，鼓声远达城中四方。钟鼓声统一了时间，指示着城门和市集的开闭时间。几个世纪以来，钟鼓楼曾数次被焚毁，现存的建筑在清朝重建。1925年，首都民间教育馆设于鼓楼；次年，钟楼内开设了一家电影院。鼓楼自1987年起作为博物馆向公众开放，钟楼自1989年起也向公众开放。
The Bell Tower 钟楼