Visit Nanjing's unique residential buildings and admire their rammed earth wall structures

Huaiyuan Tower is said to be the best-preserved double-ring circular earth building.

Hegui Tower, a square earth building built on a swamp, is also the tallest in Nanjing.

Because transportation to Nanjing's earth buildings is difficult, and I was traveling alone, I joined a tour group. A tour leader and a bus picked us up early in the morning at the agreed location (on Xiamen Island). After everyone arrived, we took the expressway to Nanjing, which took nearly three hours. It was a long journey.

Upon arrival at the scenic area, another guide took over. We first went to Huaiyuan Tower. The guide diligently explained the building's history, structure, and the uses of the floors. Because I had purchased a tower climbing fee, I was able to ascend and enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view. Perhaps because fewer tourists visit the tower, the floors above the second floor retain more traces of past life, while the corridors on the first floor are mostly occupied by vendors.
Walking along a path through the fields, we arrived at Hegui Tower. Besides its square shape, unlike other tulou, its most distinctive feature is that it was known from the outset that it would be built on swampy ground. Yet, they overcame this obstacle and completed the entire building, which has stood for a century. Even today, there's still a small area inside the building where you can experience the feeling of stepping on the soft earth.
#NanjingTulou

Post by Chengchichi | Sep 3, 2025