Bell Tower(Zhonglou, 钟楼) is located about 100 meters north to the Drum Tower, in the Central Axis of Beijing, Dongcheng District. Bell and Drum Tower was the public pavilion building which told people the time in ancient China.

In the old days, there was no bell in ordinary families. Therefore, the time of social life was totally defined by the Bell and Drum Tower. It was significant and meaningful to emphasize the Bell and Drum Tower in old days. According to the original regulations of Qing Dynasty, the Bell and Drum Tower was used for telling time day and night. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong, people were only informed of the time twice at night, which was implemented by two special persons. They firstly struck the drum and then stroke the bell. The night-time was analogized by ancient rules. They divided the night into five time sections. Each section means two hours. 19 o'clock is the first time section, 21 o'clock the second time section, 23 o'clock the third time section, 1 o'clock of the next day the fourth time section, 3 o'clock of the next day the fifth time section. After the fifth time section, it will be the daytime.

Bell Tower is built on the basis of high brick foundation. Di’anmen Avenue（地安门外大街） can be seen from this tower. It is said that the mid-axe through the Bell Tower goes directly through the throne of the emperor. The bell in Bell Tower is the heaviest and earliest one in China.