Repeatedly destroyed and restored, the Drum Tower in Beijing originally marked the center of the old Mongol capital. The drums of this later Ming-dynasty version were beaten to mark the hours of the day. Stagger up the incredibly steep steps from impressive views over Beijing's Hutong rooftops. Drum performances are given every half-hour from 9am to 11:30am to 1:30 pm to 5 pm.
Fronted by a stele from the Qing dynasty, the Bell Tower originally dates from Ming times. The Ming structure went up in a sheet of flame and the present structure is a Qing edifice dating from the 18th century. Augment visits with drinks at the Drum and Bell Bar.
