Bianjing Tower

Bianjing Tower, also known as Qiao Tower or Drum Tower, is located at the intersection of the streets in the county town of Dai County, Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province. It stands at the highest point of the ancient city and is an important support point for the strategic Yanmen Pass of the Great Wall. It is a building of significant military value, used for watching and signaling enemies and commanding battles, and is known as the 'First Tower of the Great Wall'. Bianjing Tower faces south and consists of two parts: a tall brick arch gate base and a three-story, four-eaved wooden structure with a hipped roof. The central arch gate runs through from north to south. It has seven bays in width and five bays in depth, with double eaves and a hipped roof. Surrounding corridors on each floor form an overlapping column network layout, which is unique. The beam structure is a six-rafter house, with the surrounding corridors supported by four columns.