Bell Tower of Huiwen Academy

Bell Tower of Huiwen Academy

The Bell Tower of Huiwen Academy is a cultural heritage conservation unit of Jiangsu Province.

The Bell Tower of Huiwen Academy was the tallest building in Nanjing in the late 19th century and is also the earliest existing school building constructed by Christian organizations in Nanjing, covering an area of about 330 square meters. The bell tower is the iconic structure of Jinling High School. Its image is used on the school emblem. Originally a five-story building, it was rebuilt as a four-story structure and has remained so to this day. The main body was altered to two stories, with the original third floor changed to a 0-. The large bell, located on the top floor, stands 1.3 meters tall and is 1.4 meters wide. It is the "Bolton Church Bell," cast by the American Bell Foundry Company. The bell tower is designed in the architectural style of the American Colonial period. Its floor plan is shaped like the Chinese character "申" (shēn), featuring an overall symmetrical layout. The walls are made of blue bricks, with finely crafted decorative moldings around the plinth, cornice, and other areas. Each floor’s windows are accented with outwardly protruding orange-red decorative lines along their tops and horizontally around the walls. The doors and windows feature semi-arched wooden structures, and the staircase is also wooden. The interior is floored with wooden planks. The roof has a four-sloped design, covered with cement square tiles. The rooms on the east and west sides are equipped with fireplaces and chimneys.

Address: Main Campus of Jinling High School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Heritage Conservation Units of Jiangsu Province