Two towers at the northern end of the old city's central axis, built in 1272 under Kublai Khan and rebuilt in the Ming dynasty. The Drum Tower is the southern one, housing a collection of large wooden drums; the Bell Tower stands 100 metres to the north, with the original 63-tonne bronze bell still in place. Both can be climbed for views over the grey-tile rooftops of the surrounding hutong district — one of the best vantage points in Beijing for understanding the low-rise scale of the old city.
Drum performances are held several times daily in the Drum Tower, a short theatrical demonstration worth catching. The surrounding neighbourhood of old hutongs and courtyard restaurants makes this area one of the most rewarding in the city for evening dining and wandering.