Beijing Bell and Drum Towers are located at the northernmost end of Beijing Central Axis. The two towers are arranged longitudinally. They constitute the best-preserved, largest-scale and most comprehensively equipped group of ancient timekeeping structures among all extant bell and drum towers in China, and stand as landmark buildings of Beijing. They once served as the timekeeping center during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. With their prominent geographical location, time-honored timekeeping history, traditional time-announcing methods, as well as bells and drums of pivotal significance, Beijing Bell and Drum Towers have become an architectural exemplar of ancient Chinese urban bell and drum towers.

In 1925, the "Capital Popular Education Center" was established in the Drum Tower, with the Bell Tower serving as its affiliated cinema. The function of the Bell and Drum Towers thus shifted from timekeeping to public education, pioneering popular education in Beijing. In the 1980s, the state allocated special funds for the first large-scale renovation of the Bell and Drum Towers since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and they were successively opened to the public, becoming cultural relic attractions accessible to visitors. They are now designated as Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level and serve as a patriotism education base in Dongcheng District, covering a total area of 12,597 square meters. On July 27, 2024, the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in New Delhi, India, adopted the resolution to inscribe the Beijing Central Axis—A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital—on the World Heritage List. Beijing Bell and Drum Towers are one of the important heritage sites along the Beijing Central Axis.