Beijing Bell & Drum Towers | This Freakin' Lousy Drum Tower: Anything Worth Snapping?!
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Alright, I'm ready! It's a clickbait title, okay? Sometimes it's just for fun!
Let me tell you about the Drum and Bell Towers in Beijing. Don't worry, foreign friends, this won't be difficult to understand!
Oh no, let me apologize first; my title is somewhat clickbait. I saw a funny video of an auntie complaining about the Drum Tower, and I couldn't resist following suit, hehe!
Drum Tower (Drum Tower)
Honestly, taking photos at this place is really beautiful! Fans of old buildings (ancient architecture), if you see such a grandious and magnificent building, you'll likely be amazed by it too, not being able to take your eyes off it!
Moreover, we don't get to stay in Beijing every day, so when we encounter such nice scenery, we have to capture it as a souvenir!
The weather was good that day. The blue sky, red walls, and green tiles glimmered in the sun, despite the crowds, which didn't affect my search for an angle to capture its beauty. Tourists who came to take photos also seemed well-dressed, like the Drum Tower on display.Bell Tower (Bell Tower)
Compared to the Drum Tower, the Bell Tower might be slightly less famous. The former looks larger and more exquisite.
However! The Bell Tower isn't any less extraordinary either! Think about it; "Morning Bells and Evening Drums" (ancient methods of timekeeping with clock chimes in the morning and drum beats in the evening) – these two buildings are like two stars on Tiananmen's central axis line that mutually reflect each other and add much charm to this highly significant one (Beijing's northern-southern straightline axis line where many important old buildings are located)!
The view from the top of the Bell Tower is breathtakingly expansive! You can take pictures of Beijing from all angles. Most satisfying is capturing the entire Drum Tower!
Not to forget: The stairs in the Bell Tower are super steep! I'm not joking here!
Friends looking to visit, make sure you hold on securely and move carefully up or down the stairs, prioritizing safety, don't fall!Background knowledge:
These national treasures, the Beijing Bell and Drum Towers, were already important historical buildings dating back to around 700 years ago during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, used as the center to report time to the city (without smartphones or watches, people listened for their sounds to know the time).
Both towers have undergone several renovations (the buildings need maintenance over time) to preserve their appearance as now seen.
Simply put, the Drum Tower was a tall wooden pavilion painted red and once housed 25 large drums. The Bell Tower was made of gray bricks and also very high, with a huge bell hanging inside.Actually, no matter whether the now popular Bell and Drum Towers are surrounded by stores or stay quietly in place while history unfolds around them, walking along this "central axis line," one can almost hear the echoing sounds of the "Morning Bells and Evening Drums" from ancient times.
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Literally just 2 minutes ago, super fresh!
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Beautiful!
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Haha, turns out the red walls and green tiles are super photogenic!
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Yes, totally! So beautiful.