Visit Here: Zhengyangmen Archery Tower

If you find yourself around Tiananmen and Qianmen now that the holiday crowds are departing, a good spot to visit is the newly reopened...  

Zhengyangmen Archery Tower (正阳门箭楼 Zhèngyángmén Jiànlóu) 

Constructed during the Ming dynasty in 1419, the Zhengyangmen Gate and its archery tower – also known as Qianmen, aka “front gate” – served as one of the main southern points of defense controlling access to the imperial city, with Yongdingmen to the south guarding entry to the Chinese city.  

Why Visit? 

The tower having been closed to the public for a long while for renovations, its reopening makes for another way to explore the capital’s history – and get commanding views of the Qianmen area below – along the Central Axis. What’s more, they’ve also got some themed exhibits and a souvenir shop on site. 

The Details 

Zhengyangmen Archery Tower is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9am-5pm (last entry at 4.30pm). You can book a visit via the Beijing Central Axis Heritage Protection Center official WeChat (Follow 北京中轴线遗产保护中心, then click on “Services” and “预约参观”) with a passport and Chinese phone number.  

Zhengyangmen Archery Tower 正阳门箭楼  
2A Qianmen Dajie, Dongcheng District  
东城区前门大街甲2号  
Hours: Tue-Sun, 9am-5pm 

READ: Visit Here: Tianqiao Bridge Replica

Images: Uni You, Vincent R. Vinci