The grandeur of the ancient Guanque Tower. [Photo/shanxi.gov.cn]

Guanque Tower stands on the east bank of the Yellow River where the famous waterway runs through Yongji, a county-level city in North China's Shanxi province. It is known as one of the four great towers of ancient China along with Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan city, Yueyang Tower in Yueyang city and Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang city.

First built in the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581) and rebuilt in 1997, the 73.9-meter Guanque Tower has four floors viewed from the outside and six floors inside, covering a construction area of 33,206 square meters. 

The ancient tower got its reputation and became a landmark building in the Yellow River Basin because of a poem titled Climbing Guanque Tower, written by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Wang Zhihuan. The furnishings and fittings in the tower showcase 5,000 years of Yellow River culture.

Address: Puzhou Ancient City, Yongji, Yuncheng city, Shanxi province

Opening hours: 8:30-18:00 (summer); 9:00-17:00 (winter)

Admission ticket price: 60 yuan ($8.48)

Tel: 0359—8485390