Gulangyu Clock Tower

Gulangyu Clock Tower

Located on Anhai Road on Gulangyu Island, it is called the "Clock Tower" due to its resemblance to a grandfather clock, and is also known as "Yiyuan." The Clock Tower is a contemporary Western-style building, with its lintels, window headers, and parapets all adorned with elaborate carvings, making it extremely luxurious. It is a uniquely styled, aesthetically pleasing, and practical villa on Gulangyu. The Clock Tower was built around the 1920s, but its exact completion date and original owner remain untraceable. It is only known that the first owner was a wealthy man surnamed Chen, who had many concubines, and the tower’s numerous rooms were well-suited for housing them. The Clock Tower is a contemporary Western-style building—it lacks the floor-to-ceiling windows and louvered decorations typical of European architecture, instead featuring iron grilles behind the glass windows. This design can be seen in the former U.S. Consulate and has been used in many other buildings since. There is no damp-proof course, nor any auxiliary building. The columns are not standard Greek columns but have been stylized by the designer and craftsmen—Ionic columns adorned with decorative sculptures, giving them a unique character. The façade decorations are also simple and bright, using the natural color of cement and granite rubble, which blends seamlessly with the granite tones of the moldings and steps, creating an excellent visual effect—bright, elegant, and refined. The best parts are the side wings and the third floor, which receive ample sunlight and ventilation, keeping them warm in winter and cool in summer. Especially the third floor, where the window and door lintels and parapets are all decorated with rich carvings, adding to the sense of luxury.

Address: No. 55, Anhai Road, Siming District, Xiamen

Type: Historical Architecture

Ticket Information:

Free admission.