Kaifeng Drum Tower

Henan

LoginSave

Built in 1379, Kaifeng's drum tower was originally located west of here and this site belonged to the bell tower. In the late Ming dynasty, a sickly governor decided that the towers' feng shui was to blame for his ill health and ordered that the drums and bells be swapped. The drum tower remained here until it was damaged in 1948 and demolished in 1976. This 2013 reconstruction houses both bells and drums (big and small) but the view has the most appeal.

Come early evening, the upper levels of the tower are perfect for watching the night market being set up.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Temple of the Chief Minister

    Temple of the Chief Minister

    0.26 MILES

    First founded in AD 555, this frequently rebuilt temple vanished along with Kaifeng in the early 1640s, when rebels breached the Yellow River’s dykes…

  • Po Pagoda

    Po Pagoda

    1.68 MILES

    This stumpy pagoda from 974 is the oldest Buddhist structure in Kaifeng and was originally a nine-storey hexagonal building, typical of the Northern Song…

  • Kaifeng City Walls

    Kaifeng City Walls

    1.39 MILES

    Kaifeng is ringed by a relatively intact, much-restored Qing dynasty wall, which you can climb up at various points. There's precious little to see from…

  • Yue Fei Temple

    Yue Fei Temple

    13.55 MILES

    Dedicated to the Southern Song military hero Yue Fei, this temple was first founded in 1478. The weatherbeaten temple hasn't seen much restoration, and…

  • Shanshangan Guild Hall

    Shanshangan Guild Hall

    0.24 MILES

    This tiny, elaborately styled guild hall was built as a lodging and meeting place during the Qing dynasty by an association of merchants from Shanxi (山西),…

  • Kāifēng Fǔ

    Kāifēng Fǔ

    0.6 MILES

    This reconstructed site of the government offices of the Northern Song has daily theatricals commencing outside the gates – the doors are thrown open and…

  • Kaifeng Museum

    Kaifeng Museum

    5.84 MILES

    Housed in a colossal fortress 10km west of town, the Kaifeng Museum contains a modest collection of archaeological finds, woodblock prints and historical…

  • Guanyu Temple

    Guanyu Temple

    13.53 MILES

    Dedicated to Guandi, the god of war and protection (among other things), this temple was originally built during the Ming dynasty (then dedicated to the…

View more attractions

Nearby Henan attractions

1. Shanshangan Guild Hall

0.24 MILES

This tiny, elaborately styled guild hall was built as a lodging and meeting place during the Qing dynasty by an association of merchants from Shanxi (山西),…

2. Temple of the Chief Minister

0.26 MILES

First founded in AD 555, this frequently rebuilt temple vanished along with Kaifeng in the early 1640s, when rebels breached the Yellow River’s dykes…

3. Kāifēng Fǔ

0.6 MILES

This reconstructed site of the government offices of the Northern Song has daily theatricals commencing outside the gates – the doors are thrown open and…

4. Longting Park

0.68 MILES

Site of the former imperial palace, this park is mostly gardens and a lake, into which hardy swimmers plunge in winter. Reached by a bridge, you can climb…

5. Kaifeng City Walls

1.39 MILES

Kaifeng is ringed by a relatively intact, much-restored Qing dynasty wall, which you can climb up at various points. There's precious little to see from…

6. Po Pagoda

1.68 MILES

This stumpy pagoda from 974 is the oldest Buddhist structure in Kaifeng and was originally a nine-storey hexagonal building, typical of the Northern Song…

7. Iron Pagoda Park

1.73 MILES

Kaifeng's most iconic landmark is a magnificent 11th-century Iron Pagoda (55m tall) at the centre of a pleasant park. The gorgeous, glazed-brick edifice,…

8. Kaifeng Museum

5.84 MILES

Housed in a colossal fortress 10km west of town, the Kaifeng Museum contains a modest collection of archaeological finds, woodblock prints and historical…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "china/henan/kaifeng/attractions/kaifeng-drum-tower/a/poi-sig/1622650/355986",
  "destination": "Henan",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "China",
  "region": "Henan",
  "position": "superzone"
}