Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower

Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower

The Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower is a cultural heritage site protected by Beijing Municipality.

Destination Introduction

The Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower is located in the northwest of Chongwen District, at the northern end of Qianmen Street. It is one of the important structures on the southern end of Beijing’s central axis, near Tian’anmen. On January 31, 1988, it was designated as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level by the State Council. The Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower is the tallest of its kind in Beijing.

In the 45th year of the Qianlong reign (1780) and the 29th year of the Daoguang reign (1849), the arrow tower was destroyed twice by fire. In the 26th year of the Guangxu reign (1900), when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing, the arrow tower was burned down. Restoration began in 1901 and was completed in 1906. In 1915, to improve traffic between the inner and outer cities, the government commissioned the German architect Rochus Kohl to renovate the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower. He added a concrete viewing platform with railings and arched awnings over the arrow slits, along with Western-style decorative patterns on the moon wall. The renovation was completed in 1916. After the changes, the barbican walls and the east and west gatehouses of Zhengyangmen were demolished.

Since its construction, the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower has been a symbol of old Beijing. After the 1915 renovation, it became a popular destination for locals. In 1928, it was turned into a National Products Exhibition Hall, and a cinema was added in the 1930s. In 1949, folk artist Wei Xikui and others organized the Mass Art Troupe to perform at the tower. On February 3, 1949, the People's Liberation Army held a grand military parade here.

The Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower has undergone multiple renovations. It suffered severe damage during the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, prompting comprehensive repairs by the Beijing cultural relics authorities. In 1989, the Zhengyangmen Management Office raised 1.6 million yuan to refurbish the tower, which officially reopened to the public on January 21, 1990.

Location: Northwest of Chongwen District

The Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower was first built in the 4th year of the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty (1439). It is constructed in the form of a brick fortress, with a platform 12 meters high. The gate opening is a five-segment arch set in the center of the platform, and it is the only one among the nine inner city gates that has an open gate for the arrow tower—specifically used for imperial processions. The arrow tower features a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof with gray tube tiles and green-glazed edge tiles. It has four levels, with 94 arrow slits on the east, south, and west sides for shooting arrows. The tower is seven bays wide (62 meters) and extends five bays (42 meters) to the north with a protruding pavilion. The tower stands 24 meters tall and has two sets of doors: the front one is a portcullis (also called the “thousand-jin gate”), and the rear one is a pair of iron-plated doors.

The entire controlled construction area of the arrow tower falls within the planned red line, with a protected area of 3,175 square meters and ancient architecture covering 1,400 square meters.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, there was originally a large barbican between the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower and the Arrow Tower. The southern end was rounded with a chamfered corner, and the arrow tower sat atop it. The barbican was 108 meters long from north to south and 88 meters wide from east to west, featuring an open space inside with gates on all four sides.

Transportation Information

Accessible via buses 5, 9, 17, 20, 47, 53, 59 and the subway (Qianmen Station).

Beijing Chongwen District