Qianmen Street is a busy area, the cache is located at a quite corner on the west side of Qianmen Street. Please avoid Muggles and take a quick grab.
前门大街是繁华路段，宝藏位于前门大街西侧较为僻静的角落。请避开麻瓜，快速拾取。
The Zhengyangmen Gate (Qianmen) comprises two tall buildings oriented south-north at the southern end of Tian'anmen Square, with the gate tower inthe north and the archery tower in the south. The Zhengyangmen Gate was first built in 1419, initially only a gate structure. The gate tower, the wengcheng barbican, the archery tower, and the west and east blockhouses were added between 1436 and 1439. Simultaneously, the Zhengyangmen Bridge and the archway were built south of the Zhengyangmen Archery Tower. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Zhengyangmen Gate was repeatedly damaged and reconstructed. With the completion of the Zhengyangmen West Station on the Beijing-Hankou Railway and the Zhengyangmen East Station on the Beijing-Shenyang Railway, the Zhengyangmen Gate area became Beijing's transportation hub, and the traffic flow in the surrounding areas increased dramatically. From 1914 to 1915, the Beijing Municipal Administration Office re-planned the Zhengyangmen Gate area to relieve traffic congestion. This city renovation project reflected a process of increasing public access to Beijing Central Axis.
The Zhengyangmen Gate as the central south gate of the inner city during the Ming and Qing dynasties, it is ranked higher in design and size than other city gates. As the iconic landmark of Beijing's framework of the walled-city, Zhengyangmen Gate Tower and Archery Tower are the conspicuous buildings in the Qianmen Area. On the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower, the Tian'anmen Gate and Tian'anmen Square can be viewed in the distance to the north, while the Yongdingmen Gate is visible in the distance to the south from the Archery Tower. The Zhengyangmen Gate had the combined functions of military defense, urban management, and ceremonial traditions. The Imperial Road beneath the Gate was preserved for the emperor when he left the city for activities such as the sacrificial ceremonies in the southern suburbs and the hunting tours to the Nanyuan (Southern Imperial Garden). On other days, the Archery Tower was kept closed, with local residents using the side gates under the blockhouses to the west and the east. With curfew imposed during the Ming and Qing dynasties, as a means of urban management, the Zhengyangmen Gate was opened and closed when the Bell and Drum Towers sounded the time to control the flow of citizens. The renovations of the Zhengyangmen Gate in the early 20th century witnessed the process of public transformation of Beijing Central Axis. Today, the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower and Archery Tower are open to the public as museums.
The Archery Tower 箭楼
正阳门（前门）是天安门广场南端两座南北向的高楼，北为城楼，南为箭楼。正阳门始建于乾隆二十二年（1419年），初期仅为城门结构。1436年至1439年间增建了城楼、瓮城、箭楼以及东西碉楼。同时，在箭楼南侧修建了正阳门桥和牌楼。明清时期，正阳门屡遭破坏又屡遭重建。随着京汉铁路正阳门西站和京沈铁路正阳门东站的建成，正阳门一带成为北京的交通枢纽，周边地区的车流量也随之剧增。1914年至1915年，北京市政公署为缓解交通拥堵，对正阳门一带进行了重新规划。这次城市改造工程，体现了北京中轴线上公共可达性的提升过程。
正阳门作为明清时期内城的中心南门，其造型和规模在城门中居于前列。作为北京城廓框架的标志性建筑，正阳门城楼和箭楼是前门地区的标志性建筑。登上正阳门城楼，北面可远眺天安门城楼和天安门广场；登上箭楼，南面可远眺永定门城楼。正阳门兼具军事防御、城管和礼仪功能。门下御道为皇帝出城活动所用，例如前往南郊祭祀、南苑狩猎等。平时，箭楼关闭，居民使用东西两侧碉楼下的侧门出入。明清时期实行宵禁，作为城管手段，钟鼓楼鸣钟时，正阳门便会启闭，控制人流。20世纪初正阳门的修缮，见证了北京中轴线的公共转型过程。如今，正阳门城楼和箭楼作为博物馆向公众开放。
The Gate Tower 城楼