Drum Tower/Gulou Park

The Drum Tower/Gulou (鼓楼) is the traditional centre of a Chinese city, and Nanjing’s is no exception. However, in contrast to drum towers in cities like Xi’an and Beijing, Nanjing’s is much smaller and not as large a tourist draw. This can be somewhat explained by the location: the Drum Tower is the middle of a traffic circle. This is not a quiet, out of the way park; it is on the intersection of five major roads. However, the gardens around the Drum Tower are quite pleasant if very small, and the upstairs of the tower itself has some interesting historic objects on display. Entry into the park is free, but entry into the tower is 5 RMB. Additionally, tea is served upstairs in the spring and summer, so visitors can relax and take in the history.