Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower

　　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 key buildings at the southern end of Beijing’s central axis, south of Tiananmen. On January 31, 1988, it was designated by the State Council as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. 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 by fire twice. 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 city, the government commissioned the German architect Rochusen to renovate the Zhengyangmen Arrow Tower. Modifications included adding a cement viewing platform with railings and arched awnings over the arrow windows, as well as decorating the moon wall with Western-style floral patterns. The renovation was completed in 1916. Following these changes, the barbican walls and the east and west gateways 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 the National Products Exhibition Hall. In the 1930s, a cinema was added. 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 was severely damaged 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: Located in the 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 features a fortress-style brick structure, with a platform 12 meters high. The gate opening is a five-fold arch set in the center of the platform. It is the only one of the nine inner-city gates where the arrow tower has a gate opening, originally reserved for imperial use. The arrow tower has a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, covered with grey tubular tiles and trimmed with green glazed tiles. It has four levels, with 94 arrow windows on the east, south, and west sides for shooting arrows. The tower is seven bays wide (62 meters) and extends north with a five-bay protruding pavilion (42 meters). The building is 24 meters tall, with two sets of doors — the front being a lifting portcullis (also known as the “thousand-jin gate”), and the rear 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 once a large barbican between the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower and the Arrow Tower. Its southern end featured a rounded corner, with the arrow tower positioned at the top. 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