Along with the Drum Tower directly opposite, the Bell Tower was used to tell the time during in imperial China.  The Bell Tower was originally built under Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty, and later destroyed and rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty.

In 1745,Qing Emperor Qianlong ordered the Bell Tower to be rebuilt. For fire prevention, the tower was built with bricks and stones. A stone tablet with an inscription by Emperor Qianlong was erected in front of the tower. The Bell Tower stands 47.9 metres in height and covers an area of more than 6,000 square metres. It has double eaves with black glazed tiles. The tower was renovated and opened to the public in the 1980s.