Southeast Corner Watchtower

Lonely Planet review

This splendid fortification, with a green-tiled, twin-eaved roof rising up imperiously south of the Ancient Observatory, dates back to the Ming dynasty. Clamber up the steps for views alongside camera-wielding Chinese trainspotters eagerly awaiting rolling stock grinding in and out of Beijing Train Station. The highly impressive interior has staggering carpentry: huge red pillars surge upwards, topped with solid beams.

Mounting the battlements, two forlorn stumps of flag abutments and a cannon or two can be seen, but really worth hunting out are the signatures etched in the walls by allied forces during the Boxer Rebellion. Look for the brass plaque in Chinese and a sheet of Perspex nailed to the wall near the top of the steps.

You can reach the watchtower from the west through the Railway Arch, which was built for the first railway that ran around Běijīng.

The watchtower is punctured with 144 archers' windows, and attached to it is a 100m section of the original inner city wall, beyond which stretches the restored Ming City Wall, extending all the way to Chongwenmen.

The 1st floor is the site of the Red Gate Gallery. Say you are visiting the Red Gate Gallery and the entry fee to the watchtower will be waived.