Deshengmen Arrow Tower 德胜门箭楼Déshèngmén Jiànlóu

About Deshengmen Arrow Tower

The archery tower of Deshengmen, the western of the two northern gates of the Ming inner city, added in 1436–39, its tall front pierced by rows of arrow slits. The gatehouse and barbican were pulled down between 1915 and 1955 and the wall in the 1960s, leaving the tower and a stretch of barbican wall as one of the few surviving gates of old Beijing.

How to get to Deshengmen Arrow Tower

On the north Second Ring Road at Deshengmen, about 10 minutes' walk east of Jishuitan metro station; the tower is a roadside landmark, and whether its interior and the old coin exhibition in the barbican temple are open varies, so check before planning a visit inside.

Nearby

• Prince Gong's Mansion 恭王府 under 10 km
  A Qing courtyard mansion and rock garden, home first to a corrupt minister, then a prince
• Shichahai 什刹海 under 10 km
  Three linked lakes ringed by hutongs and lakeside bars, with open-air skating in winter
• Drum and Bell Towers 钟鼓楼 under 10 km
  Beijing's old timekeeping towers, with drum performances and views over the hutong roofs
• Beihai Park 北海公园 under 10 km
  A former imperial lake garden crowned by a white Tibetan-style stupa on its island
• Temple of Confucius and Imperial Academy 孔庙和国子监 under 10 km
  Courtyards of stone steles naming imperial exam graduates, beside the old Imperial Academy

Also within 20 km: Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling 宋庆龄故居 (under 10 km), Mei Lanfang Memorial Museum 梅兰芳纪念馆 (under 10 km), Guo Moruo Residence 郭沫若故居 (under 10 km), Xihuang Temple 西黄寺 (under 10 km), Church of the Saviour (Beitang) 西什库教堂 (under 10 km), Guangji Temple 广济寺 (under 10 km).

On the map

Open Deshengmen Arrow Tower on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it and what else is close, and to add it to a trip.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)