South East Corner Guard Tower (Beijing) | castle, 15th century construction

 tower, castle, 15th century construction

The Southeast Corner Tower was built from 1436 to 1439 and is a major state-protected historical site. The tower, which rises 29 m (95 ft) in height with 144 archery windows, is the largest corner tower still standing in China.[8] The tower could house 200 soldiers and has ramps for soldiers and horses. During the Qing Dynasty, bannerman of the Plain Blue Banner were stationed at the corner tower. During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, the tower was attacked and captured by the Eight-Nation Alliance. It was known by Westerners as the Fox Tower. Graffiti carved by the invaders are preserved inside the tower. The corner tower was restored in 1983 and became a tourist site. Inside the tower is an exhibit on the history of the city's Ming-era walls and the Red Gate Gallery, a privately managed, non-profit contemporary art gallery opened in 1991. The gallery is open to the public and free of admission. In 2003, the Southeast Corner Tower became part of the Ming City Wall Relics Park.